Five Maoists and a District Reserve Guard (DRG) jawan were killed on Wednesday in an encounter deep inside Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, marking yet another bloody exchange in a year defined by intensified anti-Maoist operations.
The fighting broke out in the dense forests of the Gangaloor area, close to Dantewada, as a joint team of state police units and central forces moved through the region. According to officials, the operation was still underway at the time of reporting.
A police official said the team included personnel from the DRG, Special Task Force, and CoBRA, the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action of the CRPF, who were conducting an anti-Maoist sweep when the exchange of fire erupted.
So far, the bodies of five Maoists have been recovered from the site. The official confirmed, "One DRG personnel was martyred during the operation, while another jawan sustained injuries." The injured jawan has been evacuated for treatment.
This year has seen record confrontations in the state’s Maoist belt. With Wednesday’s encounter, the toll of Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh has climbed to 268.
Of these, 239 were killed in the Bastar division, which covers seven districts including Bijapur and Dantewada.
Another 27 were killed in Gariaband under the Raipur division, while two were eliminated in Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district in the Durg division.
The latest clash underscores the scale of ongoing operations in south Chhattisgarh, where large security deployments continue to push deeper into forest interiors long considered insurgent strongholds.