Bijapur Encounter: One Naxalite Gunned Down, Security Forces Continue Operations

National News: A tense face-off erupted between security forces and Naxal rebels in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on Wednesday. The encounter, still ongoing, has already resulted in the death of one Naxalite. The operation is centered in the dense forest regions falling under the jurisdiction of the Gangalur police station, where teams from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Special Task Force (STF) are actively engaged in the mission.

Anti-Naxal Operation Based on Specific Intelligence

According to officials, the joint operation began after security agencies received reliable inputs about Maoist presence in the area. As the forces approached the suspected hideout, they came under sudden gunfire from the rebels. In the retaliatory exchange, one Naxalite was shot dead, and a weapon was seized from the site. A combing operation has since been launched to secure the surrounding area and check for further threats.

IG Sundarraj P: Operation Still in Progress

Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range), Sundarraj P, stated that the security operation is concentrated in the remote forest belt of Bijapur’s western zone. He emphasized that as the encounter is still active, detailed ground-level information is yet to come in. Officials are currently working to establish the identity of the slain insurgent and verify his role within the Maoist structure. The area remains under tight security as the search continues.

227 Naxalites Eliminated So Far in 2025

This latest engagement is part of the larger state-driven crackdown against Maoist insurgency. Since the beginning of 2025, security operations across Chhattisgarh have resulted in the neutralization of 227 Naxalites, with most encounters taking place in the volatile Bastar division. These actions have delivered significant setbacks to Maoist operations and disrupted their regional network.

Multiple Casualties Suspected, Confirmation Awaited

Preliminary reports from the area suggest that more rebels may have been killed in the heavy exchange of fire. Officials believe that a large Maoist group was present in the region when the operation began. However, an accurate count of casualties and other details will only be available once the encounter concludes and the forest zone is fully secured.