At least 14 Maoists were killed in separate encounters with security forces in the southern region of Chhattisgarh's Sukma and neighbouring Bijapur districts on Saturday.

Sources said the bodies of 14 rebels — two killed in Bijapur and 12 in Sukma — were recovered during search operations.

“The ongoing anti-insurgency operation was launched following intelligence inputs suggesting the presence of armed cadres. The operation was carried out by Chhattisgarh’s District Reserve Guard (DRG) teams deployed in the south Bastar region,” said a security official attached to the Union home ministry.

He said the intermittent exchange of fire began around 5am in Bijapur while similar firing was reported in Sukma from around 8am. During searches at the encounter sites, security forces recovered a large cache of arms and weapons, including AK-47s, Insas and self-loading rifles.

Among those killed in Sukma was Vetti Mangdu, secretary of the Konta area committee. Sources said all armed Maoists in the Konta area committee were killed. The remaining slain rebels are yet to be identified.

“Since one of the operations was ongoing, the exact location of the encounter, the number of security forces involved in the operation and other sensitive information could not be shared to ensure the safety of the personnel engaged in the operation. Detailed information and results related to the operation will be shared separately after the completion of the operation,” Chhattisgarh police said in a statement.

A Chhattisgarh police officer said the Konta area committee, along with the Kistaram area committee in Sukma, were very significant as these areas were for decades dominated by Battalion 1 of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), an armed wing of the banned outfit. It was also the breeding ground for some top Maoists who were earlier gunned down. The area was also an important transit point to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Mangdu alias Mukka, a divisional committee member, was said to have masterminded the IED blast in Konta that killed additional superintendent of police Akash Rao Giripunje in June last year, the official said. Mangdu had earlier managed to escape in multiple encounters.

Security forces, which launched a massive operation against the Maoists in Chhattisgarh in 2024, have made repeated inroads into rebel strongholds, killing over 400 extremists, including key leaders.

Union home minister Amit Shah has set March 31, 2026, as the deadline to wipe out Maoism from the country.