9 Naxals Killed in Intense Encounter on Chhattisgarh's Dantewada-Bijapur Border

Nine Naxals were killed during a police operation in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada-Bijapur border on Tuesday. The police recovered automatic weapons from the site. All security personnel are safe, and search operations continue. A detailed report will follow upon completion.

Nine Naxals were confirmed killed by police sources during an encounter operation in the forest at the Dantewada-Bijapur border in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday. Automatic weapons including SLR rifles, .303 Rifles, and .315 Bore rifles were recovered from the site, said Dantewada SP Gaurav Rai. Notably, all security force personnel involved are reported to be safe, and ongoing search operations continue in the area. A detailed report is anticipated after the operation's completion.

Earlier, a joint police team commenced a search operation after receiving intelligence about Maoists from the West Bastar Division in the Dantewada-Bijapur border area. The encounter began at 10:30 am on Tuesday. Just last week, three women Naxalites were killed in a separate confrontation in the dense forests of Abujhmad, Narayanpur. These women were members of the North Bastar Division Committee and PLGA Company number 5.

A combined task force comprising the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Special Task Force (STF), and Border Security Force took part in the operation. According to officials, a significant quantity of weapons, including .303 rifles and .315 bore guns, along with Naxal materials, were recovered from the spot. Recently, on August 24, Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured that India would be free from Naxalism by March 2026. Shah was participating in an inter-state coordination meeting with the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and senior officials, reviewing actions against Naxalism and discussing the progress of infrastructure projects in areas affected by Left-Wing Extremism (LWE).

(With inputs from agencies.)