Daijiworld Media Network - Raipur
Raipur, Jul 27: In a major blow to Maoist insurgents in Chhattisgarh, four armed cadres carrying cash rewards were killed in a fierce overnight gunbattle with security forces in Bijapur district, police confirmed on Sunday.
The operation, launched on July 26 by the District Reserve Guard (DRG), targeted Maoist hideouts near the Basaguda and Gangaloor police station limits, a known stronghold in the state’s south-western corridor. Acting on precise intelligence inputs, security forces engaged the rebels in a prolonged exchange of fire that lasted into the early hours.
Among the slain were two female Maoists, all affiliated with the South Sub Zonal Bureau of the outlawed CPI (Maoist). They were identified as Hunga (ACM, Platoon 10), Lakkhe (ACM, Platoon 30), Bhime (ACM), and Nihal alias Rahul — who served as a bodyguard to the bureau’s communication head. Together, they carried a reward of Rs 17 lakh.
Recovered from the encounter site was a significant arsenal: an AK-47, SLR and INSAS rifles, a .303 rifle, a 12-bore gun, a single-shot 315 bore rifle, and a BGL launcher, along with grenades, live ammunition, and Maoist literature.
Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range), Sundarraj P., said the operation was part of a larger anti-Naxal drive aimed at weakening the Maoist network across the Bastar region. He confirmed that 425 hardcore Maoists have been eliminated between January 2024 and July 2025.
Despite the treacherous terrain and monsoon challenges, security forces remained steadfast. The Bastar division continues to remain under heightened alert as the state intensifies efforts to dismantle insurgent strongholds and restore peace in affected zones.
The operation is ongoing.