In a significant operation, nine Maoists were killed today in an encounter with Indian police in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, India.
The encounter began around 10:30am, local time, near the border of Dantewada and Bijapur districts, during an anti-Maoist operation involving the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), reports Hindustan Times.
Acting on intelligence inputs suggesting the presence of Maoists from the West Bastar division, security forces launched the operation, which resulted in a long exchange of gunfire. All security personnel involved in the encounter are safe, authorities reported.
Dantewada Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai confirmed the details, stating, “There were specific inputs about the presence of Maoists from the West Bastar division in the forests bordering Dantewada-Bijapur district. An encounter broke out around 10:30 am, and gunshots are still being exchanged at brief intervals,” reports Times of India.
Last month, three women Naxalites were killed in a separate encounter in Narayanpur district, highlighting the ongoing conflict in the area.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently chaired an inter-state coordination meeting in Chhattisgarh, focusing on Left-wing insurgency. Government data indicates that 147 Maoists have been killed in 104 encounters from December 2023 to August 2024, while 723 have been arrested, and 622 have surrendered.