A Naxalite carrying a bounty of ₹25 lakh was among three insurgents killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district on Tuesday, police confirmed.
The gunfight occurred around 8 a.m. in a forested region along the Dantewada-Bijapur district border during an anti-Naxalite operation.
Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai stated that security personnel, including teams from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Bastar Fighters, both specialised units of the state police, launched the operation based on intelligence inputs about the presence of Maoists in the forests surrounding Girsapara, Nelgoda, Bodga, and Ikeli villages under the Geedam police station's jurisdiction.
Following the exchange of fire, security forces recovered the bodies of three male Naxalites from the encounter site. Authorities also seized an INSAS rifle, a .303 rifle, explosive materials, and various daily-use items.
Initial investigations identified one of the deceased as Sudhir alias Sudhakar alias Murli, a resident of Warangal in Telangana. He was a member of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, considered the most formidable Maoist formation in the region. He was carrying a bounty of ₹25 lakh on his head. The identities of the other two slain cadres are yet to be confirmed.
The official further noted that search operations were still ongoing in the area to track any remaining insurgents.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently reiterated the government's firm stance against Maoist insurgency, emphasizing that the Narendra Modi-led administration is pursuing a ruthless approach against Naxalites.
He reaffirmed the government's zero-tolerance policy towards those who have not surrendered despite opportunities provided, including rehabilitation programs.
Shah asserted that India will be free of Naxalite insurgency by March 31, 2026. His statement comes in the wake of intensified operations by security forces.
On March 20, security forces eliminated 30 Naxalites in two separate encounters in the Bijapur and Kanker districts of Chhattisgarh.
With this latest action, a total of 116 Naxalites have been killed in encounters across the state this year alone. Of these, 100 were eliminated in the Bastar division, which includes seven districts such as Bijapur and Dantewada, highlighting the ongoing crackdown on insurgent activity in the region.
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