- Three Naxalites shot dead in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma operation
- Security forces seize weapons; officials say Naxalism in final stage
The Chhattisgarh police confirmed that three Naxalites carrying a total bounty of Rs 15 lakh were killed in an encounter with security forces in Sukma district on Sunday. The action came after a team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) began an anti-Naxalite operation in the forested hills of Tumalpad village, located between the Bhejji and Chintagufa police station areas.
According to Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan, the gunfight started in the morning after the DRG received specific intelligence about Maoist movement in the area. The exchange of fire lasted for a long time before the bodies of three Naxalites, including two women, were recovered. A .303 rifle, Barrel Grenade Launchers (BGLs), and other explosives were seized from the site.
Police identified the deceased as area committee member Madvi Deva, CNM commander Podiam Gangi, and Kistaram area committee member Sodhi Gangi. Each carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh. Deva, described as a sniper specialist of the Maoists’ Konta area committee, was allegedly involved in the murder of several civilians. Chavan said search operations continue in nearby forests to trace other cadres who might have escaped.
Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj Pattilingam, said the latest encounter highlights how Naxalism is nearing its end in the Bastar region. He urged Maoist cadres to give up arms and join the government’s rehabilitation policy.
Officials stated that 233 Maoists, including senior committee members from the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee and the PLGA, have been killed so far this year in the Bastar range. With this action, the total number of Naxalites killed across Chhattisgarh in 2024 has reached 262, including 27 in Gariaband district and two in Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki.
In recent months, the state has also seen a wave of surrenders. Nearly 300 Naxalites surrendered in Chhattisgarh last month, while senior leader Mallojula Venugopal Rao, alias Bhupathi, along with 60 cadres, laid down arms in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district. The Centre has reaffirmed its goal to eradicate Naxalism across India by March 2026.
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