Bijapur: Five Naxalites, including two women, were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Sunday, police said.
The gunfight broke out in the morning in the forest of Bandepara-Koranjed villages under Madded police station limits when a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxalite operation, Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj P said. "We seized one Self Loading Rifle (SLR), one 12 bore rifle, two Single Shot rifles, one Barrel Grenade Launcher (BGL), one muzzle loading gun and cache of explosives," the IG said.
Bijapur ASP Chandrakant Govarna said an encounter broke out between Naxalites and security personnel on Sunday at Bandepara under the national park area of Bijapur. The ASP said police received information on the presence of Naxalites in the forest following which of team of security personnel conducted an operation in the area. There had been intermittent firing from both sides since morning.
As per reports, the soldiers have recovered the bodies of the five slain Naxalites from the spot. The identity of the deceased is being ascertained. Sources said the casualties on Naxal side may increase further. Govarna said search operation is on in the area and a clearer picture and more information on the encounter will be received after the security forces return from the spot.
On Saturday, A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) trooper was injured in an IED blast planted by Naxalites here in the Bastar division of Chattisgarh. The injured soldier was shifted to Bijapur District Hospital. According to Bijapur police, the IED blast took place in the Mahadev Ghat area when a team of CRPF's 196th battalion was on an area domination operation. “During a patrol, the CRPF jawan stepped on a pressure-activated IED, triggering the explosion and leaving him injured,” a police spokesperson said. The identity of the injured trooper was not immediately.
A day earlier, 13 Naxalites, five of them carrying a cumulative reward of Rs 13 lakh on their heads, surrendered before security forces in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh on Thursday, an official said. Nandu Avalam alias Durgesh alias Kotesh and his wife Deve Madkam alias Chandani, cadres Munna Kakem, Sukhram Hemla, Bhima Vekko, along with eight other Naxals turned themselves in before security personnel, he said.
The surrendered Maoists were active in the Gondia division of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. According to officials, the surrendered Naxalites will be given facilities under the rehabilitation policy by the government. At present, everyone has been given a cash amount of Rs 25,000.
While quitting the armed movement, the cadres denounced the inhuman and hollow Maoist ideology and hailed the state government's Naxalism elimination policy as well as the police's rehabilitation drive 'Niyaad Nellanar', said Jitendra Yadav, SP, Bijapur.
There have been multiple encounters between security forces and Naxalites in Chhattisgarh since the start of 2025. An encounter took place in Gariaband district on January 3. The next day, a fierce encounter occurred between Naxalites and security forces in Dantewada. Two more attacks took place on January 6. As per reports, Naxalites are furious with the success of security forces in the anti-Naxal operations last year.
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