Barely 90 days before the March 31, 2026 deadline set for eliminating armed Left-wing extremism from the country, security forces recorded a major operational success in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region.
In coordinated anti-Maoist operations across the dense forest zones of Bijapur and Sukma districts, 14 armed Maoists were killed in separate encounters on Saturday, dealing a significant blow to insurgent networks active in south Bastar. According to police sources, among those killed in Saturday’s operations include noted Maoist leader from Konta Area Committee, Sachin Mangdu.
While confirming this, Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan and Bijapur SP Jitendra Yadav said that the identities of the remaining Maoists are being verified through official procedures.
According to Bastar police officials, the action followed credible intelligence inputs about the presence and movement of armed Maoist cadres in the southern parts of the region. District Reserve Guard (DRG) teams were deployed as part of a joint search operation.
In Bijapur, intermittent firing began around 5 AM, while a separate exchange of fire was reported in Sukma from about 8 AM. The encounters continued for several hours at different locations.
By the end of the operation, security forces recovered the bodies of two Maoists from Bijapur and 12 from Sukma, taking the total toll to 14. A substantial cache of weapons was also seized from the encounter sites, including AK-47, INSAS, and SLR rifles. Officials said the nature of the arms recovered suggested preparations for a major Maoist offensive.
Authorities said intensive combing operations are still underway in the area to rule out the presence of additional cadres. Due to operational sensitivities, details such as the exact locations of the encounters and the strength of the deployed forces have not been disclosed.
“The safety of our personnel is paramount. A comprehensive briefing will be issued once the operation is formally concluded,” a senior officer said.
The latest success is being viewed as a key milestone in the sustained counter-insurgency campaign, aligned with the timeline repeatedly articulated by union Home Minister Amit Shah. Security officials believe consistent intelligence-led operations are steadily weakening Maoist capabilities in south Chhattisgarh, bringing the region closer to durable peace and stability.
