12 Naxalites killed in Bastar encounter; 3 DRG personnel martyred

Jagdalpur | Correspondent : Security forces have killed 12 Naxalites along the Dantewada-Bijapur border in Chhattisgarh. Bodies of all neutralised militants have been recovered, and officials say the toll may rise. Three personnel of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) were martyred, while two others sustained injuries during the encounter. Bastar Range Inspector General Sundarraj P. confirmed the development.

According to IG Sundarraj P., the fallen personnel include DRG Head Constable Monu Wadari, Ramesh Sodi, and Constable Dukaru Gonde. Security teams continue combing operations in the forests under Gangloor police station limits.

Bijapur SP Jitendra Yadav said that a joint team of DRG, STF, COBRA, and CRPF was carrying out a search operation in the West Bastar Division area near the Dantewada-Bijapur border since 9 AM on Wednesday. Naxalites opened fire unexpectedly during the forest operation, prompting retaliatory action in which several militants were killed.

Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai expressed condolences, stating that the sacrifice of the brave soldiers will not go in vain. Home Minister Vijay Sharma said history is being written through the courage of security forces, claiming that Naxalism is in its final phase. Both leaders paid tribute to the martyrs.

SP Yadav said that forces recovered an SLR rifle, a .303 rifle, and ammunition from the encounter site. Identification of the slain Naxalites is underway, and the area has been sealed for continued search operations.

He added that a backup team has been dispatched and that the operation remains active, so further details cannot be shared at this time. A detailed briefing will be issued once the operation concludes.

Earlier, one of India’s most notorious Naxal commanders, Madvi Hidma, was killed on November 18 in an encounter in the Maredumilli forests along the Chhattisgarh-Andhra Pradesh border. Security forces also neutralised Hidma’s wife Rajje alias Rajakka and four other militants during the operation.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had set a November 30 deadline for security forces to eliminate Hidma. Following this directive, coordinated search operations were launched across the forested tri-state border zone of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana. Hidma was killed 12 days ahead of the deadline.

Hidma was believed to be the mastermind behind more than 26 major Naxal attacks over two decades, including the 2010 Dantewada ambush in which 76 CRPF personnel were killed, the 2013 Jhiram Valley attack, and the 2021 Sukma-Bijapur encounter.