Three additional bodies of Naxalites were recovered on Saturday morning in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region following a fierce clash with security forces. This brings the total number of Naxalites killed in the encounter to 31, according to police reports. A search operation is still ongoing in the area.
Inspector General of Police Sundarraj P confirmed the recovery, stating, “The bodies were found in the dense forest where the encounter occurred.” Preliminary investigations suggest that the deceased belonged to the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) company No. 6, Platoon 16.
The gunfight erupted around 1 a.m. on Friday near the inter-district border of Dantewada and Narayanpur, involving a joint team from the District Reserve Guard and Special Task Force on an anti-Naxal mission. The firefight lasted for several hours, with security forces continuing their search in the area.
This incident marks the highest number of Naxalite casualties in a single operation since the state was formed 24 years ago. The latest offensive comes just over five months after a previous encounter in Kanker resulted in the deaths of 29 Naxalites, including several high-ranking officials.
One personnel from the District Reserve Guard was injured due to an explosion from an Under Barrel Grenade Launcher during the clash. Alongside the bodies, authorities recovered a significant cache of weapons, including an AK-47, SLR, INSAS rifle, LMG, and .303 rifle.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai commended the security forces for their successful operation, reiterating the government’s commitment to eradicating the Naxal threat. So far this year, a total of 188 Maoists have been killed in various encounters across the seven districts of the Bastar region, including Dantewada and Narayanpur.
