#BREAKING: Deadly Encounter in Chhattisgarh; 18 Naxalites and One Jawan Killed

In a fierce encounter on March 20, 2025, Eighteen Naxalites and one security personnel lost their lives in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, underscoring the ongoing conflict in the region. The operation, launched in the jungle area near the Dantewada-Bijapur border under Gangaloor police station limits, began at 7 a.m. after intelligence reports indicated Maoist presence. The clash involved a joint team of security forces, including the Bijapur District Reserve Guard (DRG), who engaged in intermittent firefights with the insurgents for hours.

The fallen jawan, a member of the DRG, was killed during the exchange, while security forces recovered the bodies of eighteen Maoists along with weapons and explosives. Bijapur police confirmed that the search operation remains active as they comb the dense forest for additional threats or evidence. This incident adds to the rising toll of anti-Maoist operations in Chhattisgarh, with over 85 Maoists reportedly killed in 2025 alone, reflecting the government’s aggressive push to eliminate Left-Wing Extremism by March 2026, as pledged by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The encounter highlights the volatile security situation in the Bastar region, a Maoist stronghold. While the operation dealt a blow to the insurgents, the loss of a jawan underscores the high stakes involved. As Chhattisgarh intensifies its efforts, the conflict continues to claim lives on both sides, raising questions about the path to peace in this troubled region.