Raipur: Fourteen Maoists were killed in two separate encounters with security forces in Chhattisgarh on Saturday morning, police officials confirmed. The operations took place in the insurgency-affected districts of Sukma and Bijapur, both located in the Bastar region.
Twelve Maoists were neutralised in Sukma district during an early-morning firefight, while two others were killed in a separate exchange in Bijapur district. The encounters involved joint teams of state and central security units deployed for anti-Maoist operations in dense forest areas.
Preliminary police inputs indicate that the Sukma operation was carried out by a combined contingent engaged in routine area domination and intelligence-led interception, while the Bijapur team engaged a smaller armed group, leading to the second encounter.
No official casualty numbers for injured Maoists or weapons recovery have been released yet, but police teams remain on ground for search and clearance procedures. Senior officers said that further details about the identity of the Maoist cadres involved, seized arms, and affiliated factions are being verified.
Chhattisgarh has been at the centre of India’s long-running counter-insurgency efforts against left-wing extremism, with Sukma and Bijapur witnessing frequent operations due to continued militant movement and forest-based tactical positions held by Maoist groups.
The state police reiterated that both operations were part of sustained security campaigns to reduce armed Maoist presence, disrupt operational networks, and improve civilian safety in interior regions ahead of the new year.
