'Naxal Mukt Bharat Abhiyan’ says Amit Shah as security forces kill 22 Naxalites in Chhattisgarh

In a massive anti-Naxal operation in Chhattisgarh, security forces killed 18 left wing extremists in  Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur on Thursday. Separately, four Maoists got killed in a combing operation in Kanker area. A Chhattisgarh police jawan got killed in the Bijapur operation.

Security forces including personnel from Border Security Force and Chhattisgarh police’s District Reserve Guard conducted combing operations in the border areas along Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur and Dantewada districts. The forces were conducting search operations in areas under Gangaloor police station in Bijapur. An exchange of fire broke out between the security forces and Naxals at 7am in the region. According to reports, the clashes are continuing.

Security forces have recovered the bodies of 18 Naxalites were recovered from the site. A senior police official said along with the bodies, a large cache of arms and explosives were also seized. A DRG jawan with Chhattisgarh police got killed in the operation. In another operation at Kanker, security forces killed four militants. Security forces are continuing the operation in the region.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah congratulated the forces on the ‘big success’. In a post on social media platform X, Shah said, “Today our soldiers have achieved another big success in the direction of 'Naxal Mukt Bharat Abhiyan'. 22 Naxalites were killed in 2 separate operations of our security forces in Bijapur and Kanker of Chhattisgarh.”

Shah said the Modi government has a zero tolerance approach against Naxalites. “The Modi government is moving forward with a ruthless approach against Naxalites and is adopting a zero tolerance policy against those Naxalites who are not surrendering despite all the facilities ranging from surrender to inclusion. The country is going to be Naxal-free before 31 March next year,” he added.