2 cops, 31 Naxals killed in Chhattisgarh encounter

Security forces on Sunday gunned down 31 Naxalites during an encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, officials said. Two security personnel were also killed in the incident while two others were injured, they said.

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All-out war against left-wing extremism

• 81 Naxalites killed in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh so far this year
• 65 of the 81 killed in the Bastar division, comprising seven districts
• 38 were killed in Abhujmaad area of Bastar on October 4, 2024
• 219 Naxalites were killed in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh last year

March 2026 deadline to wipe out maoists

I reiterate my resolve that before March 31, 2026, we will completely eradicate Naxalism from the country so that no citizen has to lose his life due to it. Amit Shah, Home minister

The encounter took place in the dense forests of Indravati National Park in the morning. It was part of a larger, coordinated anti-Naxal operation led by a joint team from various security forces.

Inspector General of Police Sundarraj P confirmed that 31 Naxalites, including 11 women, had been killed. The authorities also seized a large quantity of weapons and explosives from the encounter site. The security officials who were killed in the exchange of fire belonged to the District Reserve Guard and the Special Task Force.

More than 650 security personnel entered the Indravati National Park area from different sides and eliminated the 31 Naxalites in their den, Chhattisgarh’s Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma said. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said the end of Naxalism in the country and the state was certain. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, the state would get rid of Naxalism by March 2026, he said.

With this incident, 81 Naxalites have been gunned down by security forces in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh so far this year. Sixtyfive of them have been killed in the Bastar division comprising seven districts, including Bijapur.

Last year, 219 Naxalites were neutralised by security forces in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh, according to the police.

On October 4 last year, 38 Naxalites were killed following an encounter in Abhujmaad area along the Narayanpur-Dantewada inter-district border in the Bastar region.

“So far, the bodies of 31 Naxalites clad in ‘uniform’ have been recovered from the encounter site. Besides, a huge cache of weapons, including AK-47, INSAS, SLR and .303 rifles and Barrel Grenade Launchers and explosives have also been seized from the site,” the officials said. Reinforcement had been rushed to the spot and search operation was still underway in the area, they added.

In a post on X, Shah said security forces had achieved great success in their endeavour towards making the country

Naxal-free.

He said the nation would be forever grateful to the two martyred security personnel for their sacrifice.