Daijiworld Media Network - Raipur

Raipur, Sep 13: In a major success for anti-Maoist operations in Chhattisgarh, security forces neutralised two high-ranking Maoist cadres during a fierce encounter in Bijapur district on Saturday. The operation, led by the District Reserve Guard (DRG), took place in the dense forests of south-west Bijapur following credible intelligence about Maoist movement in the area.

The slain insurgents were identified as Hidma Podiyam (34) of Bedset in the Indravati area, and Munna Madkam (25) from Katekalyan in Dantewada. Both were active members of Platoon No. 01 under Company No. 02 of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) and carried bounties of Rs 8 lakh each on their heads. Their deaths are being seen as a strategic blow to Maoist operations in the Bastar region, where both had been instrumental in executing ambushes and attacks against security forces.

According to Bijapur SP Jitendra Kumar Yadav, the early-morning operation was based on precise inputs and involved intermittent exchanges of gunfire between the DRG team and the insurgents. After securing the site, the forces recovered a significant cache of arms and explosives, including a .303 rifle with live ammunition, a 12-bore gun, scanner sets, batteries, Cardex wire, and Maoist propaganda literature.

Officials believe the recovered items were part of the Maoist logistical and communication infrastructure, indicating that the two militants were involved not only in armed conflict but also in ideological indoctrination and recruitment activities.

This latest encounter adds to a growing list of successful counter-insurgency operations carried out over the past year in Bijapur, Sukma, and Dantewada, where security forces have intensified surveillance and targeted high-level operatives to disrupt the core command of the Maoist network.

The Chhattisgarh government and central agencies have reiterated their commitment to dismantling left-wing extremism and restoring peace in affected tribal regions. Officials view the encounter as a tactical victory in the broader fight against insurgency and a significant step toward weakening Maoist morale and operational strength in central India.