12 Maoists, 3 DRG personnel killed in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur in gunfight

At least 12 Maoists and three personnel of the state police’s special unit District Reserve Guard (DRG) were on Wednesday killed in a gunfight in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, officials told PTI.

The gunfight began in a forest along the border of Bijapur and Dantewada during an operation involving personnel from both the districts, according to Sundarraj Pattilingam, the Inspector General of Police for Bastar Range.

Sundarraj identified the fallen personnel as Head Constable Monu Vadadi, Constable Dukaru Gonde, and jawan Ramesh Sodhi from DRG’s Bijapur unit.

This is the latest encounter with security forces in which Maoists have suffered casualties. The Maoists have lost some of their biggest leaders this year, such as Nambala Kesava Rao alias Basavaraju, the General Secretary of outlawed CPI (M); top commander Hidma; and senior Maoist figures like Sahadev Soren, Raghunath Hembram, Virsen Ganjhu, and Modem Balakrishna. CPI (M) Politburo member Mallojula Venugopal Rao also surrendered in October.

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With these 12, the Maoists’ toll so far this year in Chhattisgarh has reached 275, according to PTI.

The Centre has set the deadline of March 31, 2026, to completely eradicate the Maoist insurgency in the country.

Anti-Maoist operation continues

Even as 12 bodies of Maoists have been recovered, the operation was still underway, Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Yadav told PTI.

IG Sundarraj said that the operation involved personnel from DRG’s Dantewada and Bijapur units and police’s Special Task Force along with CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) of the CRPF.

Sundarraj added that identities of 12 Maoists have not yet been ascertained.

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In addition to dead Maoists, Sundarraj said that single loading rifles (SLRs), Insas rifles, .303 rifles, and other arms and ammunition were recovered from the site.

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Separately, SP Yadav said that reinforcements have been rushed to the site and operation remains underway.