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Chhattisgarh: 16 Naxals Killed In Police Encounter

On Monday at least 16 Naxalities were killed in a gunfight with the security forces. This happened during a joint operation launched by Odisha and Chhattisgarh police. The incident comes a day after two women Naxalities were gunned down by security forces in Chhattisgarh.

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Meanwhile, a top Naxal commander, Jayram alias Chalapathi, with a reward of Rs 1 crore, was also killed, said a senior police official. Jayaram Reddy, a senior Maoist leader also known as Chalapati, was killed in the exchange of fire that took place in a forest along the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border.

Who was Chalapati?

According to reports, Chalapati was 60 years old. He hailed from Chittoor’s Madanapalle in Andhra Pradesh. He was a Central Committee member of the banned CPI (Maoist).

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As he was part of the key panel making decisions about sensitive operations, Chalapati had a bounty of Rs 1 crore. He also enjoyed protection from several personal guards.

Reports suggest the joint forces were acting on intelligence inputs. The information is that many Naxalities are operating in the deep forests in the border area. Subsequently, they launched a joint interstate operation on January 19.

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A joint team of security personnel from the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), CoBRA from Chhattisgarh, and Special Operation Group (SOG) from Odisha were involved in the operation.

According to reports, a huge cache of arms, ammunition, and explosives has been recovered by the security forces following the encounter. According to the Odisha Police, the number of casualties from the Naxal side might go up.

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“A massive search operation is underway in the area,” said a senior police official.

Home Minister Amit Shah’s Response

Amit Shah, who has vowed to eradicate Maoists by March 2026, called the encounter “another mighty blow to Naxalism”.

In a post on X, he wrote, “Our security forces achieved major success towards building a Naxal-free Bharat. The CRPF, SoG Odisha, and Chhattisgarh Police neutralized 14 Naxalites in a joint operation along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border”.

According to reports, more than 200 Maoists were killed by security forces in Chhattisgarh in 2024. Among 219 Maoists killed last year, 217 were from the Bastar region, which comprises Bastar, Dantewada, Kanker, Bijapur, Narayanpur, Kondagaon, and Sukma districts. Over 800 Maoists were also arrested, while about 802 laid down their arms.

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Furthermore, About 18 security personnel lost their lives in the fight against Maoists in 2024, while the number of civilians killed in Maoist violence stood at 65.

Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said that under the double-engine government, the state will eliminate left extremism by March 2026.

 

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