30 Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh, search op underway; Amit Shah says India to be Naxal-free by 2026

A jawan of the Bijapur District Reserve Guard (DRG) was killed and bodies of 30 Maoists were recovered in two separate encounters in Chhattisgarh on Thursday, police said.

A joint team was deployed under the Gangalur police station in the border areas of Bijapur and Dantewada districts as part of the anti-Maoist operation. Continuous firing was reported between the Maoists and security forces since 7 am on Thursday.

At the encounter site, bodies of 26 Maoists were recovered. The security forces recovered weapons and ammunition while the encounter and search operation is still underway, said Bijapur Police.

Four bodies of Naxals were recovered after a gunfight at another location in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah called the encounters as “another big success in the direction of Naxal Mukt Bharat Abhiyan” and claimed that the country is going to be Naxal-free before March 31 next year in a post on X.

Naxalites trigger IED blast

A team of security forces had a narrow escape when Naxalites detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district early on Thursday, police said.

No serious harm to security personnel was reported in the blast, but two policemen, including an officer, were evacuated from the area for treatment, they said.

The blast took place around 3 am when a joint of the Special Task Force (STF) and the Chhattisgarh Police DRG was carrying out an anti-Naxal operation, the police said.

Naxalites surrender in Chhattisgarh

As many as 17 Naxalites had surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district last week, an ANI report said.

Bijapur Superintendent of Police (SP) Jitendra Kumar Yadav told reporters, “Seventeen Naxalites surrendered in Bijapur district. All the surrendered Naxalites were active in different capacities in the Gangaloor area committee of the outlawed Maoist organisation.”

In February, a total of 18 Naxalites were arrested and explosives were recovered from them in an operation carried out by security forces in three different locations in the Bijapur district. According to the police, 10 Naxalites were arrested from the forests of Gunjeperti in the Usur police station area, along with explosives. Seven were arrested from the forests of Rajpenta in the Basaguda police station area, along with explosives, the ANI report added.

Chhattisgarh CM meets PM Modi over plans to develop Bastar

Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 18 and presented the master plan for Bastar's development, outlining the strategy to transform the Naxal-affected areas into hubs of infrastructure, industries, and tourism.

With coordinated security forces' strategies and public participation, significant transformation has been achieved in the affected regions of Chhattisgarh, CM Sai informed the PM. Naxalism in Chhattisgarh is in its final phase, the CM told PM Modi.

The joint efforts of the police and central forces have brought development to several Naxal strongholds, strengthening public trust in government initiatives.

The state government is now focused on positioning Bastar as a new industrial and economic centre, creating employment opportunities and improving the living standards of tribal communities. (ANI)

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