Deadly Clash in Chhattisgarh: 12 Naxalites and 3 Security Personnel Killed

Fierce Encounter in Bijapur District

Bijapur (Chhattisgarh): A violent confrontation occurred in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of twelve Naxalites and three members of the District Reserve Guard (DRG), a specialized police unit.

In addition, two DRG personnel sustained injuries during the intense firefight, which is still ongoing as part of the anti-Naxal operation in the region.

The clash erupted in a forested area near the Bijapur-Dantewada border while a joint security team was conducting an anti-Naxal mission, according to Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj Pattilingam.

The operation involved DRG members from both Dantewada and Bijapur, along with the Special Task Force and CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), an elite unit of the CRPF.

So far, the bodies of twelve Naxalites have been retrieved from the site, although their identities remain unconfirmed, as stated by the senior IPS officer.

Authorities also recovered various weapons, including Single Loading Rifles (SLRs), Insas rifles, .303 rifles, and additional ammunition from the encounter location.

The IGP reported that Head Constable Monu Vadadi, Constable Dukaru Gonde, and jawan Ramesh Sodhi from the DRG Bijapur lost their lives in the encounter, while two other personnel were injured.

The injured soldiers received immediate first aid and are currently reported to be out of danger, with arrangements being made for further medical care.

Reinforcement teams have been sent to the encounter site, which is located in the west Bastar division, and a search operation is still in progress in the vicinity, as noted by Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Yadav.

This latest operation has contributed to a total of 275 Naxalites being killed in encounters across Chhattisgarh this year.

Of these, 246 were eliminated in the Bastar division, which includes seven districts such as Bijapur and Dantewada, while 27 others were killed in Gariaband district, part of the Raipur division. Additionally, two Naxalites were slain in the Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district in the Durg division.

The Central Government has set a target to completely eliminate Left-wing extremism by March 31, 2026.