Significant Naxalite Casualties in Chhattisgarh Operations

Major Encounters in Chhattisgarh's Bastar Region

Sukma/Bijapur, Jan 3: On Saturday, security forces engaged in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, resulting in the deaths of over 12 Naxalites.

In Sukma, more than 10 insurgents were killed, while two others were eliminated in the nearby Bijapur district during the early morning hours, according to a senior police official.

The firefight erupted in the forests of Sukma district, where security personnel were conducting an anti-Naxalite operation.

"So far, more than 10 militants have been neutralized. The operation is ongoing, and further updates will be provided later," the official stated.

In Bijapur, a gun battle occurred around 5 am in a forest area as a team from the District Reserve Guard, part of the state police, was engaged in a similar mission.

The bodies of two Naxalites were retrieved from the encounter site, and the exchange of fire continued, with more information pending, the official added.

Last year, a total of 285 Naxalites were killed in various confrontations with security forces in Chhattisgarh.

It is noteworthy that the central government has set a deadline of March 31, 2026, under Operation Sankalp to eradicate Naxalism from the nation.

Operation Sankalp, one of the largest counterinsurgency initiatives in the Bastar region, involves approximately 24,000 security personnel from various units, including the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Bastar Fighters, Special Task Force (STF), all state police units, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and its elite CoBRA unit.