Chhattisgarh news: 8 naxals killed in encounter with security forces in Bijapur

Eight naxals were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh on Saturday.

"Eight naxals were killed in an ongoing encounter between security forces and Naxals in the jungle under Gangaloor police station limit [in Bijapur]," police officials told news agency ANI.

They said search operations are underway.

Bijapur police had earlier said that the exchange of fire between security forces and Naxals was underway in the jungle under Gangaloor PS limit.

The gunfight broke out around 8.30 am on Saturday in the forest in Gangaloor police station area when a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxalite operation, a senior police official was quoted by PTI as saying.

“More details were awaited as the operation was still underway,” he said.

"Personnel of the District Reserve Guard and Special Task Force of the state police along with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and its elite unit CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) were involved in the operation," the official said.

The operation was launched on Friday after receiving information about the presence of cadres of the West Bastar division' of the Maoists in the area, he said.

Earlier on Friday, 10 Naxalites, five of them carrying a cumulative reward of ₹6 lakh on their heads, surrendered in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, police said.

Who were those 10 naxalites?

Of these, Arjun Madkam alias Arjun Genne (20) was the Niyamgiri area committee member under Andhra-Odisha Border (AOB) division of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) and carried a reward of ₹2 lakh on his head, an official said.

Hadma Tati alias Morli (38) was the Palaguda Revolutionary Party Committee (RPC) Jantana Sarkar vice-president and headed the Chetna Natya Mandli, a cultural wing of the Maoists, he added.

Hunga Madvi alias Pedda (42) was the Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisan Majdoor Sangathan (DAKMS) head, while Bhima Madvi alias Nandu Bhima (34) and Nanda Madkam alias Kayar Nanda (45) were the Jantana Sarkar presidents of Errapalli and Palaguda RPCs.

"Tati, Madvi, Bhima and Nanda carried rewards of ₹1 lakh each. Dula Madvi alias Bodda was the Palaguda RPC Jantana Sarkar member and headed the agriculture wing.

The other four were lower rung cadres," the official said. In 2025, as many as 23 Naxalites surrendered in Bijapur district, while 46 have been arrested and 17 gunned down, as per police.

(With inputs from agencies)