In a forest near Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district, at least seven Maoists lost their lives in a gunfight on Thursday during a joint operation conducted by security forces and police personnel from Narayanpur, Bastar, and Dantewada, according to officials familiar with the situation.
Authorities also recovered seven weapons and various materials from the scene of the incident. The encounter continued into late evening, with the identities of the Maoists yet to be determined.
A statement from Narayanpur police revealed that the gunfight erupted around 11 a.m. in the forest bordering Bijapur and Narayanpur district. Approximately 1000 security personnel from Bastar, Narayanpur, and Dantewada were involved in the operation.
“The joint team of Narayanpur’s District Reserve Guard (DRG), along with counterparts from Bastar and Dantewada, and the Special Task Force (STF), launched an anti-Naxal operation based on specific intelligence regarding Maoist leaders from Platoon number 16 of CPI (Maoist) and members of the Indrawati Area Committee. The exchange of fire commenced around 11 a.m. After the cessation of gunfire, two Maoist bodies were discovered by Narayanpur police,” the statement outlined.
The operation is being conducted in the Abujhmaad forest at the intersection of Narayanpur, Bastar, and Dantewada districts.
“Narayanpur police recovered two bodies in the morning, while later in the evening, Dantewada police, under the leadership of deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Rahul Uike and DSP Ashish Netam, retrieved five bodies. Additionally, five weapons were seized, although their classification is yet to be confirmed,” stated Rai. Narayanpur police seized two weapons.
Abujmaad, also known as the ‘Unknown Hill’, stretches across Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, encompassing approximately 6,000 square kilometers of dense forest that has remained unsurveyed since the British colonial era.
The forest serves as a hub for Maoist activities, with around a dozen senior CPI (Maoist) cadres reportedly still camping there, according to officials.
With this recent encounter, the tally of Maoists killed in separate clashes by security forces and state police this year stands at 112, a significant increase compared to 2023 when only 22 Maoists were neutralized.
