3 Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh as anti-insurgency drive intensifies: Police

Security forces killed three Maoists in a gunfight along the border of Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada and Bijapur districts on Tuesday. The clash occurred during an anti-Maoist operation launched on Monday, according to Dantewada police superintendent Gaurav Rai. He said the forces recovered weapons and other materials while the identities of the dead Maoists remain unconfirmed. Search operations continue in the area.

Last Thursday, security forces killed over two dozen Maoists and lost one officer in twin encounters in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur and Kanker districts. The Union government aims to end the Left-wing insurgency by March 31, 2026, leading to intensified operations. In 2024 alone, security forces have killed 219 Maoists, a sharp rise from 22 in 2023 and 30 in 2022.

Union home ministry officials reported that security forces have killed 113 Maoists this year across India. They also arrested 104 rebels, while 164 have surrendered.

Chhattisgarh’s Bastar division, which includes Dantewada, Bijapur, Kanker, Narayanpur, Kondagaon, and Sukma, remains the center of Maoist activity. Thousands of personnel are deployed in the “Red Corridor” to dismantle Maoist strongholds and reclaim forest hideouts. The government’s strategy combines military action with infrastructure development in insurgency-hit areas.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Chhattisgarh on March 30. He will launch infrastructure projects and meet people affected by Maoist violence.

Security forces recently established 17 new camps in former Maoist strongholds, including Abhujmad. This 4,000 sq km forested region, straddling Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, remains largely unmapped due to rough terrain and Maoist control.

Bastar is known as the last Maoist bastion because of its administrative vacuum and dense forests. Top Maoist leaders, including politburo and central committee members, are believed to be hiding in the region. Security forces continue to push deeper into these areas to weaken the Maoist network and restore government control.