Raipur: Security forces dealt a significant blow to the Maoist movement in Chhattisgarh after at least 12 Maoists were killed in a fierce encounter in the forested Konta–Kistaram area of Sukma district. The operation comes amid intensified counter-insurgency measures in the state, even as several senior Maoist leaders have reportedly surrendered in recent weeks.
Police officials said the encounter took place during a search operation launched by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) based on specific intelligence inputs about Maoist presence in the South Bastar region. The operation was carried out under the supervision of Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan. The exchange of fire began around 5.30 am on Saturday and continued for several hours, following which the bodies of 12 Maoists were recovered from the encounter site.
All those killed are believed to be members of the Konta Area Committee. Among them is suspected to be Sachin Mangdu, the Konta Area Secretary. Police sources also indicated that Maoist commanders allegedly involved in the killing of Konta Assistant Superintendent of Police Akash Rao Giripunje were among those neutralised. Security forces seized a substantial cache of arms from the site, including AK-47 rifles, INSAS rifles, SLRs and other weapons.
In a separate operation earlier in the day, two Maoists were killed in an encounter in the forest areas of Bijapur district under the supervision of SP Jitendra Yadav. Police said several others were injured during the exchange of fire, and the toll could rise as search operations continue. Intermittent firing was reported to be ongoing in the region at the time of the latest update.
According to official data, Chhattisgarh witnessed significant Maoist casualties over the past year. In 2024, a total of 285 Maoists were killed in various encounters across the state. Of these, 257 were reported from the Bastar division, which includes seven districts, while the remaining 27 were killed in encounters in the Raipur division.
Authorities said further details of the latest encounters will be shared after the completion of combing operations in the affected areas.