At least🌟 eight Naxalites were killed in an encou🔯nter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Saturday, a senior police official said.
Two♑ perꩵsonnel of the District Reserve Guard (DRG), a unit of the state police, were also injured in the gunfight, he said.
An INSAS rifle and a barrel grenade launcher (BGL) 🤪were among the we𓂃apons recovered from the site afterwards, the official said.
The 🅰gunfight broke out around 8.30 am in the forest in Gangaloor police station area when DRG and Special Task Force of the state police along with Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and its elite unit Commando Battalion for Resolute Action(CoBRa) were out on an anti-Naxalite operation, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P said.
The operation was launched on Friday after receiving information about the presence of cadres of𓃲 the `West Bastar division🐲' of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoists) in the area, he said.
"The bodies of eight Naxalites, all men, have been recovered from the spot. Many more ultras have either been killed or in𒊎jured. The search operation at the site is still underway. We have recovered an INSAS rifle, a .12 bore rifle, a barrel grenade launcher and five other weapons," Sundarraj said.
ꦛThe identity of the slain Naxalites was yet to be ascertained, but they appeared to belong to the Gangaloor area committee, People's Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA) compaღny no 2 and a militia company under the West Bastar division of the Maoists, he said.
During the gunfight two DRG men sustained minor injur🎶ies and were being treated, the⛦ IG said.
Chief Minister Vishꦓnu Deo Sai hailed the security forces for the succes🍷s.
"The state government has been working with full coꦅmmitment to eliminate Naxalism.♏ Today's encounter is a big success for the security forces. I salute their courage," Sai said in a statement.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have res✤olved to end Naxalism in the country by March 31, 2026. We are succeeding in fulfilling this vow. Naxalism is near its end. Our goal is to make Bastar completely Naxal-free and accelerate the development of the tribal community," he said.
The CM appealed to the Maoists to give up arm𓂃s, surrender, ൩and take advantage of the rehabilitation schemes of the government.
With this encounter, 49 Naxalites have been kill𝓡ed in encounters in the state so far this year. Of them🦩, 33 were killed in Bastar division comprising seven districts, including Bijapur.
On January 20-21, 16 Naxalites were killed in an eꦿncount🌱er with security personnel in Gariaband district which falls in Raipur division.
In 2024, as many as 219 Naxalites were killed in th🐠e state, as per the police figures♒.
