New Delhi:

Jayaram Reddy, a senior Maoist leader also known as Chalapati, escaped security forces for decades until a selfie with his wife, Aruna alias Chaitanya Venkat Ravi, cost him his life. He was among 20 Maoists killed in a joint operation by central and state police forces along the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border this week.

Chalapati carried a reward of Rs 1 crore and was the mastermind of the February 2008 attack in Odisha’s Nayagarh district, in which 13 security personnel lost their lives.

He ensured the Maoists could successfully escape from Nayagarh after robbing the police armoury, a senior officer involved in anti-Maoist operations told the news agency PTI on Wednesday.

He also ensured that police reinforcements could not enter Nayagarh when the attack on the armoury was underway and the Maoists had blocked all roads leading to the town with massive tree trunks, the officer said.

He stayed incognito for years but a selfie with his wife Aruna, a ‘deputy commander’ of the Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC), helped security forces identify him. The picture was found in an abandoned smartphone that was recovered in May 2016 following an encounter between Maoists and security forces in Andhra Pradesh.

A bounty of Rs 1 crore was then announced on his head, forcing him to travel with a security detail comprising 8-10 personal guards.

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A resident of Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor — where Maoist activities have ended now — Chalapati was a senior member of the central committee of the Maoists, which is the highest decision-making body within the group.

He was mainly active in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar but relocated his base a few months ago due to the increasing frequency of encounters in the area. He shifted near the Odisha border, seeking a safer operational zone.

He was considered an expert in military tactics and guerrilla warfare, officials said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who has vowed to eradicate Maoists by March 2026, called the encounter “another mighty blow to Naxalism”.

“Our security forces achieved major success towards building a Naxal-free Bharat. The CRPF, SoG Odisha, and Chhattisgarh Police neutralised 14 Naxalites in a joint operation along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border,” he posted on X.

“With our resolve for a Naxal-free India and the joint efforts of our security forces, Naxalism is breathing its last today,” Mr Shah said.

At least 40 Maoists have so far been killed in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh this year.

(With agency inputs)

Raipur:

Three Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on Thursday, state Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma said.

The security forces have achieved success in the anti-Maoist operation in Sukma, he said.

So far, bodies of three Maoists have been recovered and the search operation is still underway, Vijay Sharma, who holds the Home portfolio, told reporters in Raipur.

Referring to the IED blast triggered by Maoists on January 6 wherein eight security personnel and a civilian driver of their vehicle were killed in Bijapur district, the deputy CM said, “There is huge anger among security forces after what Maoists have done.” “I have met them (security forces). I reiterate that with the strength and courage of our jawans, the (Maoist) menace will be eliminated within the stipulated time,” he said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday vowed to eliminate Maoists from the country by March 2026 and asserted that the sacrifice of those killed by the extremists in Chhattisgarh will not go in vain.

On Thursday morning, the encounter broke out in a forest along the border of Sukma and Bijapur districts when a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Maoist operation, police said.

Personnel belonging to the District Reserve Guard, Special Task Force and CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action- an elite unit of CRPF) were involved in the operation, they said.

With this, nine Maoists have been killed in separate encounters in the state so far this year.

During a three-day anti-Maoist operation by security forces in Abujhmad on the border of Narayanpur-Dantewada-Bijapur districts which concluded on January 6, five Maoists, including two women, were killed.

On January 3, a Maoist was killed in an encounter with security forces in Gariaband district, which falls in Raipur division.

Last year, 219 Maoists were neutralised by security forces in separate encounters in the state.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

At least four Maoists were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, an official said today.

A head constable of the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Sannu Karam, died in the face-off, which broke out on Saturday evening at a forest in south Abujhmaad along the border of Narayanpur and Dantewada districts.

The encounter began when a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Maoist operation.

After the exchange of fire stopped late Saturday night, bodies of four Maoists and automatic weapons, including AK-47 rifle and self loading rifle (SLR), were recovered from the spot.

A search operation is underway in the area.

Over 200 Maoists Killed In 2024

More than 200 Maoists were killed by security forces in Chhattisgarh in 2024 with Union Home Minister Amit Shah vowing to eradicate them by March 2026.

Among 219 Maoists killed last year, 217 were from the Bastar region, which comprises Bastar, Dantewada, Kanker, Bijapur, Narayanpur, Kondagaon and Sukma districts.

Over 800 Maoists were also arrested, while about 802 laid down their arms.

About 18 security personnel lost their lives in the fight against Maoists in 2024, while the number of civilians killed in Maoist violence stood at 65.

The dense, uncharted forests of Abujhmad – often referred to as the “hills of the unknown”  – in Bastar have long been a Maoist stronghold, shrouded in mystery and largely inaccessible to security forces. On Friday, this remote region in Chhattisgarh became the backdrop for one of the most significant encounters in recent history which has dealt a big blow to left-wing extremism in the region. 

In the massive operation, security forces killed 31 Maoists, including Kamlesh alias RK, one of the most-wanted Maoist commanders, and Niti alias Urmila, a spokesperson for the group. Both were key figures in the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC), with Kamlesh being wanted in five states and Urmila playing a crucial role in the Maoist propaganda machinery.

Kamlesh, originally from Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh, was a student of the Civil Industrial Training Institute (ITI). He was primarily active in North Bastar, Nalgonda in Telangana, Manpur in Bihar and the Odisha border regions, and his influence extended across Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha and Maharashtra. Urmila, a native of Gangalur in Bijapur, was a member of the Special Zonal Committee.

Gunfight

The operation was planned after intelligence reports suggested the presence of at least 50 Maoists, including key figures from the Indravati Area Committee and the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army Company No. 6 in the region. Specific intelligence pointed to Kamlesh, Urmila, another wanted commander called Nandu and other Maoists hiding in the dense forest areas between the Thulthuli and Nendur villages in the Orchha and Barsur police station limits.

A joint operation was launched by the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Special Task Force (STF), and additional reinforcements from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The security forces, after trekking 25 km deep into the forest, launched a pincer movement that took the Maoists by surprise. The gunfight continued for hours, covering an additional 10 km. 

Officials said the encounter has resulted in the recovery of 31 bodies so far. “Weapons like light machine guns (LMGs), AK-47s, self-loading rifles (SLRs), INSAS rifles, and .303 calibre firearms were seized from the site, further indicating the presence of senior Maoist cadres,” an official said. 

A DRG jawan, Ramchandra Yadav, was injured in the crossfire but has been safely evacuated and is reported to be stable. A search operation is on and forces are also combing the surrounding areas to capture any surviving Maoists who may have fled.

3 Successes In 6 Months

The encounter is seen as a major success in the ongoing efforts to dismantle Left-wing extremism in the Bastar region and is the biggest setback for Maoists since the Kanker operation in April. 

On April 15, a massive encounter had led to the death of 29 Maoists, including 15 women, in Kanker district. Among the dead were two DVCM (Divisional Committee)-level leaders, each carrying a bounty of Rs 8 lakh. The firefight lasted for over five and a half hours.

Four months later, on August 29, a major encounter took place on the Narayanpur and Kanker border in the Abujhmad region of Chhattisgarh. Three uniformed woman Maoists were killed in the operation and were identified as members of the North Bastar Division Committee and the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army Company No. 5. 

So far, over 180 Maoists have been killed in encounters in Chhattisgarh this year, marking one of the most successful phases in the fight against left-wing extremism in the state, officials said. More than 212 Maoists have also been arrested in Bastar during the monsoon season alone and 201 have surrendered, indicating a strong decline in the movement’s influence.

National Picture

The anti-Maoist operations in Chhattisgarh have been linked to a broader national strategy. After Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to the state from August 23 to 25, a high-level plan was put in place to further intensify efforts against the group. During the visit, Mr Shah chaired an inter-state coordination committee meeting involving the chief secretaries and director generals of police (DGPs) of the seven Maoist-affected states as well as officers from the paramilitary forces. 

During the meeting, the Home minister made it clear that the government’s stance against left-wing extremism remains firm. He said Maoists could either surrender and reintegrate into the mainstream or face the full force of security operations. 

Kanker:

Silence hangs over the hillocks adjoining Hidur and Kalpar villages in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district where 29 Maoists were gunned down by security forces in an encounter.

Hours after the biggest encounter ever in the state ended, bullet marks could be seen on the trees at the site on Wednesday. Bloodstains were also visible on the ground which is covered by a thick carpet of fallen bamboo leaves.

In the nearby villages, local tribals, most of them women, could be seen outside, but they were reluctant to speak about what they saw or heard during the encounter on Tuesday.

Lingaram, a resident of Akameta village in the area, claimed that his cousin Sukku, an active Maoist, was killed in the encounter.

He came to know about it only on Wednesday, he said, talking to reporters at Kalpar village.

Sukku had joined the outlawed CPI (Maoist) as a child and despite the family members trying to persuade him to quit, he stayed with the Maoist movement, Lingaram said.

The family was yet to contact the police to claim Sukku’s body, he added.

The route to the encounter site, mostly dirt roads or forest paths, was dug up at multiple locations. Maoist posters calling on locals to boycott the Lok Sabha elections and crude memorials for killed Maoists could be seen nearby.

To reach the area, considered a stronghold of the North Bastar Division Committee of Maoists, one has to cross the Kotri river which runs dry in summer.

The local administration has been trying to construct a bridge on the river for a long time, but the work did not make any progress as villagers are opposed to it, an official claimed.

The encounter site is located more than 15 km from Bechaghat on the tri-junction of Kanker and Narayanpur districts of Chhattisgarh and Gadchiroli in Maharashtra.

Aaytu, a villager, said he heard gunshots on Tuesday afternoon from a hill adjoining Kalpar village. He, however, was not willing to elaborate.

On climbing the hill, which has thick bamboo vegetation, blood stains and bullet marks on trees could be seen in places. Empty syringes and bottles of soft drinks and a makeshift stretcher used by the security personnel to ferry their injured colleagues were lying in a dry rivulet.

Personnel of the police’s District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Border Security Force (BSF), around 200 in number, had launched the counter-insurgency operation from different locations on the late evening of April 15 and gathered at Mehra village, officials said.

They crossed Kotri river at Khairipadar and then passed through a few other villages and surrounded the hill where some senior Maoists were suspected to be present.

The encounter broke out around 12.30 pm on Tuesday and lasted for around four hours, police said.

Later, the bodies of 29 Maoists, including 15 women, were recovered. Three security personnel also suffered injuries in the fierce gunbattle.

This was the highest number of fatalities suffered by Maoists in a single encounter in the history of the state’s fight against Left Wing Extremism.

Since the start of 2024, as many as 79 Maoists have been killed in the Bastar region.

Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, who holds the home portfolio, hailed the encounter as a “surgical strike” and a major success, and asserted that credit for it goes to the brave security personnel.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Kanker:

Silence hangs over the hillocks adjoining Hidur and Kalpar villages in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district where 29 Maoists were gunned down by security forces in an encounter.

Hours after the biggest encounter ever in the state ended, bullet marks could be seen on the trees at the site on Wednesday. Bloodstains were also visible on the ground which is covered by a thick carpet of fallen bamboo leaves.

In the nearby villages, local tribals, most of them women, could be seen outside, but they were reluctant to speak about what they saw or heard during the encounter on Tuesday.

Lingaram, a resident of Akameta village in the area, claimed that his cousin Sukku, an active Maoist, was killed in the encounter.

He came to know about it only on Wednesday, he said, talking to reporters at Kalpar village.

Sukku had joined the outlawed CPI (Maoist) as a child and despite the family members trying to persuade him to quit, he stayed with the Maoist movement, Lingaram said.

The family was yet to contact the police to claim Sukku’s body, he added.

The route to the encounter site, mostly dirt roads or forest paths, was dug up at multiple locations. Maoist posters calling on locals to boycott the Lok Sabha elections and crude memorials for killed Maoists could be seen nearby.

To reach the area, considered a stronghold of the North Bastar Division Committee of Maoists, one has to cross the Kotri river which runs dry in summer.

The local administration has been trying to construct a bridge on the river for a long time, but the work did not make any progress as villagers are opposed to it, an official claimed.

The encounter site is located more than 15 km from Bechaghat on the tri-junction of Kanker and Narayanpur districts of Chhattisgarh and Gadchiroli in Maharashtra.

Aaytu, a villager, said he heard gunshots on Tuesday afternoon from a hill adjoining Kalpar village. He, however, was not willing to elaborate.

On climbing the hill, which has thick bamboo vegetation, blood stains and bullet marks on trees could be seen in places. Empty syringes and bottles of soft drinks and a makeshift stretcher used by the security personnel to ferry their injured colleagues were lying in a dry rivulet.

Personnel of the police’s District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Border Security Force (BSF), around 200 in number, had launched the counter-insurgency operation from different locations on the late evening of April 15 and gathered at Mehra village, officials said.

They crossed Kotri river at Khairipadar and then passed through a few other villages and surrounded the hill where some senior Maoists were suspected to be present.

The encounter broke out around 12.30 pm on Tuesday and lasted for around four hours, police said.

Later, the bodies of 29 Maoists, including 15 women, were recovered. Three security personnel also suffered injuries in the fierce gunbattle.

This was the highest number of fatalities suffered by Maoists in a single encounter in the history of the state’s fight against Left Wing Extremism.

Since the start of 2024, as many as 79 Maoists have been killed in the Bastar region.

Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, who holds the home portfolio, hailed the encounter as a “surgical strike” and a major success, and asserted that credit for it goes to the brave security personnel.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)