In yet another massive strike, security forces killed as many as 16 Naxalites in an encounter in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district during the early hours of Saturday. The anti-Naxal operation is continuing and two security personnel suffered injuries in the operation.
According to officials, personnel from Chhattisgarh’s District Reserve Guard and Central Reserve Police Force conducted a search operation in forest areas of Sukma based on intelligence inputs. Security forces conducted searches in the Upampalli Kerlapal area along the Sukma-Dantewada border based on an intelligence tip-off about Maoists’ presence in the area.
Bastar IG Sundarraj P said the bodies of 16 Naxalites were recovered from the area and the operation is underway. The senior police officer said the anti-Naxal operation was launched after they received information regarding the presence of Naxals from the National Park Area Committee of the CPI (Maoist), ANI reported.
#WATCH | Chhattisgarh | Security forces neutralised 16 naxals in an encounter in the forest of Upampalli Kerlapal area at the Sukma-Dantewada Border today.
— ANI (@ANI) March 29, 2025
Visuals from the spot where security forces carrying bodies of slain Naxalites pic.twitter.com/KCZk8Pmkdh
Sundarraj said the exchange of fire broke out in the Kerlapal police station area they are conducting an intensive search at the encounter site. Two jawans sustained injuries in the operation and they are undergoing treatment.
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The massive operation comes a day ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh. The prime minister will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate development projects worth Rs 33,700 crore in Bilaspur on Sunday.
Security forces killed 30 Maoists in two separate security operations in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur on March 20. Union Home Minister Amit Shah lauded the security forces and called it ‘Naxal Mukt Bharat Abyan’. Shah asserted the Modi government has a zero tolerance policy towards “Naxalites who are not surrendering despite all the facilities ranging from surrender to inclusion.” Shah said the country will become Naxal-free before 31 March next year.
