New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday commended the efforts of security forces after 22 Naxalites were neutralized in two separate operations conducted in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur and Kanker districts. Calling it a “major success” under the Naxal Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, he reiterated the government’s commitment to eliminating Naxal insurgency.
Shah took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to express his appreciation. “Today, our soldiers have achieved another significant victory in the direction of Naxal Mukt Bharat Abhiyan. A total of 22 Naxalites were eliminated in two separate encounters carried out by our security forces in Bijapur and Kanker, Chhattisgarh,” he wrote.
Reaffirming the government’s zero-tolerance policy towards Naxalites who refuse to surrender, the Home Minister stated that India would be free of Naxalism by March 31 next year. “The Modi government is taking a strict approach against Naxalites and is following a zero-tolerance policy for those who refuse to lay down arms despite multiple opportunities for surrender and reintegration. The country is set to become Naxal-free before March 31 next year,” Shah added.
According to police reports, security forces successfully eliminated a total of 22 Naxalites in two different operations in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur and Kanker districts on Thursday. The first encounter took place in the dense forest region along the Bijapur-Dantewada border, where security personnel killed 18 Maoists during a gun battle. Inspector General (IG) Bastar, P Sundarraj, confirmed the incident.
However, the encounter also claimed the life of a brave District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel. Police reported that the operation commenced at 7 AM on Thursday.
In the second operation, four Naxalites were neutralized near Koroskodo village in the Chhotebethiya police station area, situated at the Kanker-Narayanpur border. Security forces engaged in a fierce gunfight, successfully eliminating the insurgents. IG P Sundarraj provided details on the operation, stating that intermittent firing was still ongoing in some areas. Automatic weapons and other items were recovered from the site, and search operations in both districts continued.
Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma expressed his condolences over the death of the DRG personnel and acknowledged the courage of the security forces. He confirmed that 18 bodies of the killed Naxalites had been recovered so far. “The search operation in the Gangaloor area, between Bijapur and Dantewada, is ongoing. Unfortunately, one of our DRG jawans, Raju Oyyami, made the ultimate sacrifice. The entire government stands firmly with his family. May God give them strength in this difficult time,” he said.
Deputy CM Sharma also lauded the bravery of security personnel. “I congratulate the jawans of Bastar and the entire team involved in the Bijapur operation. This achievement is a testament to the courage and determination of our soldiers. Besides Bijapur, search operations are also being carried out in Kanker to ensure no Naxalite escapes,” he stated.
The Bijapur encounter erupted
These recent developments follow a series of security measures taken by the forces. Just last week, 17 Naxalites voluntarily surrendered in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district. In February, security forces arrested 18 Naxalites and recovered a cache of explosives during operations conducted at three different locations within Bijapur.
With the government maintaining a relentless crackdown on Naxal insurgency, these operations mark another step towards achieving the goal of a Naxal-free Bharat.