In a major anti-Maoist operation, security forces killed six Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district on Friday. The encounter took place in the dense Abujhmad forest, a known Maoist stronghold, following intelligence about insurgent movements.

Joint teams of the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Special Task Force (STF), and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) launched a search operation in the afternoon, leading to intermittent firefights. The forces recovered a significant cache of weapons, including AK-47 and SLR rifles, explosives, and supplies indicative of long-term Maoist camps. The operation remains ongoing, with security sources reporting continued exchanges of fire.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai praised the security forces, emphasizing the state’s commitment to eradicating Naxalism by March 2026, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s and Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s directives. This year, 221 Maoists have been killed in Chhattisgarh, with 204 in the Bastar division alone, marking a significant escalation in anti-Maoist efforts since the BJP’s 2023 election victory.

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The operation follows a June 6 encounter in Bijapur’s Indravati National Park, where top Maoist leader Bhaskar, carrying a Rs 45 lakh bounty, was killed. The Abujhmad region, spanning Narayanpur, Dantewada, and Bijapur, remains a focal point of intensified security operations.

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