31 Maoists, two security personnel killed in encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur

CRPF personnel. File | Photo Credit: PTI

In the biggest anti-Maoist operation of the year so far, at least 31 Maoists were gunned down by the security forces in an anti-Maoist operation in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur on Sunday (February 9, 2025), the police said. Two security personnel were killed while two more sustained injuries in the gun battle.

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Inspector-General of Police (Bastar Range) P. Sundarraj said the encounter took place when a security team conducted a search operation in the National Park jungles after receiving a tip-off about the presence of Maoists.

Maoist killed in encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh

“The encounter began around 8 a.m. and the exchange of fire between the security forces and Naxalites continued intermittently till 4 p.m. The bodies of 31 uniformed Maoists, including 20 men and 11 women, were recovered from the encounter site,” added Mr. Sundarraj.

The bodies of the two deceased police personnel, head constable Naresh Dhruv of the District Reserve Guards and constable Vasit Raote of the Special Task Force, were taken to the district headquarters.

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A large cache of arms and ammunition including AK-47, INSAS and . 303 rifles, grenade launchers and other explosives was also recovered from the encounter site, the police added.

“Security forces deployed in Bastar Range are working dedicatedly for the peace, security and development of Bastar region. The sacrifice of the martyred soldiers will be an inspiration for our resolve,” Mr. Sundarraj said.

Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma added that nearly 650 personnel took part in the operation conducted in areas along the Chhattisgarh-Maharashtra border, which is considered a haven for Maoists.

With this, 65 Maoists had been killed this year in the Bastar region, which has seven districts including Bijapur.

Together with the 17 Maoists killed in Gariaband, a neighbouring district of Raipur along the Odisha border, at least 81 Maoists had been killed in the first 40 days of 2025, a figure that translates to two Maoists being gunned down every day. In 2024, a year that saw intensification of the anti-Maoist campaign in Chhattisgarh, as many as 239 Maoists were gunned down by the security forces.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had last year set the deadline of March 2026 to wipe out left-wing extremism in the country. On Sunday, he reiterated the deadline and termed the encounter a big success.

“In the direction of making India Naxal-free, the security forces have achieved a big success in Bijapur. In this operation, 31 Naxalites were killed and a huge amount of arms and explosives was also recovered. Today we have lost two of our brave soldiers in the effort to end anti-human Naxalism. This country will always be indebted to these heroes. I express my heartfelt condolences to the families of the martyred soldiers. I also reiterate my resolve that before March 31, 2026, we will completely eradicate Naxalism from the country, so that no citizen of the country has to lose his life due to it,” he posted on X.

CM’s post

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister also hailed the security forces for “entering the Naxalites’ den” and eliminating them. In a post on X titled “Gun Tantra to Ganatantra [Republic]”, he said under the double-engine government, 282 Naxalites have been killed in the State in the past 13 months, while 1,033 Naxalites have been arrested and 925 have surrendered.