Gariaband — In a significant development in the fight against Naxal insurgency, at least 14 Naxalites were killed in a gunfight with security forces as part of the ongoing joint anti-Naxal operation in the forests of Gariaband district near the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border. The encounter took place late on Monday night and early Tuesday morning in the forest area under Mainpur police station.
The operation, which has been underway since January 19, resulted in the death of 14 Naxalites, including a senior member of the Naxalite Central Committee, Jayaram alias Chalpati, who was reportedly carrying a reward of Rs one crore. Authorities confirmed that the bodies of all 14 deceased Naxalites, along with a significant cache of arms and ammunition, had been recovered. This includes an AK-47, an SLR, and an INSAS rifle, among other weaponry.
Raipur Zone Inspector General of Police, Ambarish Mishra, stated that the security forces had seized a large number of weapons during the operation. “A search operation is still underway, and we have recovered substantial weaponry,” Mishra added.
The operation, which involved security personnel from both Chhattisgarh and Odisha, was conducted by the Group E30, Cobra Battalion 207, CRPF Battalions 65 and 211, as well as Odisha’s LOG Nuapada. According to Gariaband Superintendent of Police Nikhil Rakhecha, the mission’s success was a significant blow to the Naxalite insurgency. “Many top Naxals have been eliminated,” Rakhecha said.
Earlier on Monday, two women Naxalites were also killed in a separate encounter, during which one CoBRA jawan was injured. A joint team from the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), CoBRA from Chhattisgarh, and Special Operation Group (SOG) from Odisha carried out the operation. The official sources mentioned that the operation was launched following intelligence reports of Maoist presence in the Kularighat reserve forest, located just 5 km from Odisha’s Nuapada district border.
Along with the two female Naxalites, a large stockpile of firearms, ammunition, and IEDs, including a self-loading rifle, was recovered. Authorities warned that the number of Maoist casualties may increase as the operation progresses.
In response to the ongoing success, Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised the security forces for their efforts. In a statement on X, he described the operation as “another mighty blow to Naxalism,” reiterating that Naxalism was in its final stages in India. “Our security forces achieved major success towards building a Naxal-free Bharat,” Shah said.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnudeo Sai also commended the security forces for their success, expressing confidence that the state would be free from Naxalism by March 2026. “Under our double-engine government, Chhattisgarh is moving rapidly toward this goal, and we salute the bravery of our soldiers,” Sai remarked.
The ongoing operation in Gariaband marks a significant step forward in the joint efforts of both states to eradicate Naxalism, which has been a long-standing challenge in the region.