Kanker, Chhattisgarh – A major encounter in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district on Tuesday resulted in the deaths of at least 29 Naxalites, police officials confirmed. Three security personnel were injured in the intense firefight, and authorities have recovered a significant cache of weapons.
The gun battle erupted at approximately 2 pm in the Hapatola forest, located between Binagunda and Koronar villages under Chhotebethiya police station limits. A joint operation conducted by the Border Security Force (BSF) and the state police's District Reserve Guard (DRG) was initiated following intelligence reports indicating the presence of senior cadres of the outlawed CPI (Maoist)'s North Bastar division, including Shankar, Lalita, Raju, and others.
Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P. revealed that the operation turned violent as forces patrolled the area. "Bodies of 29 Maoists along with a huge cache of weapons, including AK-47, SLR, Insas and 303 rifles, were recovered from the spot," the IG stated.
The Naxal-affected Bastar Lok Sabha seat is scheduled for elections on April 19th in the first phase, while the Kanker constituency, part of the Bastar region, will vote shortly after in the second round of general elections on April 26th. Search operations continue in the region, with reports of intermittent exchanges of fire between security forces and Naxalites.
"Three security personnel sustained injuries in the gunfight and their condition was stated to be out of danger," reported Sundarraj, noting that they have been hospitalized.
This latest encounter brings the total number of Naxalite fatalities in the Bastar region, comprising seven districts, including Kanker, to 79 in 2024. Earlier this month, security forces engaged Naxalites in Bijapur district, ending with the deaths of 13 militants.
