Raipur (Chhattisgarh): In a significant operation, seven Naxals were reported killed in an encounter on Friday held between joint security forces and armed members of the banned outfit CPI (Maoist) along the border of Dantewada and Narayanpur districts.

Police have confirmed the casualties, noting that a substantial cache of arms and ammunition, including AK-47s and SLRs, was recovered from the encounter site. The security forces also retrieved the bodies of the deceased Naxals along with their automatic weapons.

A combined team of security personnel, including paramilitary forces and police from Narayanpur and Dantewada districts, was deployed for anti-Maoist operations a day prior to the encounter. The joint forces were ambushed while conducting a combing operation in the Abhujmad area, a known stronghold for Naxals, near the villages of Nenduli, Thulthuli, and Gober.

The gunfight occurred between 12 PM and 1 PM,  between security forces and armed Maoists after the forces got attacked by the armed Naxals. After following the cessation of hostilities, police conducted a search operation and recovered the bodies. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the security personnel, according to a senior officer from Bastar police. The operation remains still under progress, and final updates will be provided once the security forces return safely to the base.

During the monsoon season, more than 212 Naxalites have been arrested in the Bastar division,  Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj P said. The ongoing anti-Naxal operations have also led to the surrender of 201 Naxals this year.

Notably, in 2024 alone, 164 Naxalites have been killed.

At the time news of the encounter broke, Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai was visiting Dantewada, where he inaugurated and performed Bhoomi Pujan for development projects worth Rs. 167.21 crores, alongside Assembly Speaker Dr. Raman Singh. The Chief Minister emphasized the progress made in Naxal-affected Bastar and reiterated his commitment to making the region Naxal-free. He commended the efforts of security forces in restoring peace and combating Naxalism in the area.