Chhattisgarh: Neutralised Maoists identified

An official said that the security forces have recovered substantial arms and materials from them and identified the deceased as Area Committee Member Hunga Madkam alias Panchuga, a resident of Purvarti village in Sukma district, and People's Protection Committee Member Ayati Muchaki alias Jogi from Pinachanda village in Bijapur district.

He said that both carried a reward of five lakh rupees each on their heads and were associated with the Pamed Area Committee, a key Maoist unit in the south Bastar region.

Acting on specific intelligence about the presence of 10 to 15 armed Maoists, the District Reserve Guard of Bijapur launched a search operation that led to intermittent exchange of fire starting around 5 am.

Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Yadav confirmed that search operations at the encounter site and said, among the items recovered were one Self-Loading Rifle with a magazine and nine rounds, one 12-bore country-made pistol with five rounds, a scanner set, Cordex wire, backpacks, Maoist literature and other materials.

No casualties were reported from the security forces' side have also been recovered. This encounter formed part of a larger operation on the same day, with parallel actions in neighbouring Sukma district resulting in the neutralisation of 12 more Maoists, bringing the total to 14 in twin engagements across south Bastar.

The operation marks another success in the intensified campaign against left-wing extremism in the Bastar region, where authorities continue large-scale search efforts in the difficult terrain to clear remaining threats.

The Bastar division, encompassing seven districts including Bijapur and Sukma, has long been a Maoist stronghold, but sustained intelligence-driven operations have dramatically weakened their hold. In 2025 alone, security forces neutralised over 280 Maoists statewide, with significant numbers in Bastar, alongside record surrenders exceeding 1,500 cadres and hundreds of arrests.

Major blows included the elimination of top leaders and large-scale clashes that dismantled key committees.

Driven by Union Home Minister Amit Shah's deadline to eradicate Naxalism by March 2026, these efforts have combined precise strikes, new security camps, infrastructure development, and rehabilitation policies to shrink Maoist influence.

This encounter adds to the series of setbacks faced by Maoist cadres in recent times as coordinated drives aim to dismantle their network across south Chhattisgarh, paving the way for peace and development in formerly inaccessible tribal areas.