At least 14 Naxalites, including a senior commander,ꦏ were killed during a joint operation by security forces along the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border in the Gariaband distr💮ict, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
One of the Naxalites who died in the encounter has been identified as Jairam alias Chalpati,💎 a senior member of the Maoist Central Committee with a bounty of Rs💦 1 crore on his head. Police have not yet confirmed the identities of the other 13 casualties, although ongoing operations in the area could reveal more information in the coming days.
At least 14 Naxalites, including a senior commander,ꦏ were killed during a joint operation by security forces along the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border in the Gariaband distr💮ict, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
One of the Naxalites w🧸ho died in the encounter has been identified as Jairam alias Chalpati, a senior member of the Maoist Central Commitꦰtee with a bounty of Rs 1 crore on his head. Police have not yet confirmed the identities of the other 13 casualties, although ongoing operations in the area could reveal more information in the coming days.
The operation, which began on January 19, targeted Maoist operatives based in the forests near the inter-state border. So far, 40 Naxalites have been killed in Chhattisgarh in 2025. Earlier this month, 12 Naxalites we𒅌re killed in an encounter in the Bijapur district, with Maoists later admitting that 18 of their cadres had been killed in that incident.
Chief Minister of Chhattis🔥garh Vishnu Deo Sai praised the efforts of the security forces, calling the success “commendable” and affirming that Chhat♛tisgarh will be free of the Naxal menace by March 2026.
The gun battle, which spanned several hours, involved an intense exchange of fire between the Naxalites and the joint secur𓃲ity forces. Initially, two women Naxalites were neutralised on Monday, followed by a second round of fighting late Monday night and early Tuesday morning. During thi🐲s later exchange, 12 more Maoists were killed. A CoBRA jawan was also injured during the operation.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah hailed the successful operation, stating on social medi꧅a that the security forces had dealt “another mighty blow to Naxalism.”
The operation was carried out in the Kularighat reserve forest, a known Maoist strꦐonghold just 5 kilometres from Odisha's Nuapada district. It was initiated based on intelligence inputs about Maoist activity in the region. In addition to the fatalities, security forces recovered a large cache of weapons, ammunition, and explosives, including self-loading rifles and IEDs.
The security forces continue their search operation in the area and more Naxalites are expect🌜ed to be e𒈔ncountered.
The coordinated operation bet🐼ween Odisha and Chhattisgarh police is part of a larger push to eradicate Maoist influence from India’s int𝔍erior, an effort that has gained momentum under the current government’s anti-Naxalism strategy.