16 Maoists Killed In Major Anti-Naxal Operation In Chhattisgarh; One CRPF Personnel, Two DRG Jawans Injured

In a significant anti-naxal operation, 16 Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces along the Sukma-Dantewada border in south Chhattisgarh on Saturday (29 March) morning, reported The Indian Express.

The operation, conducted by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), also left one CRPF personnel and two DRG jawans injured.

All three injured personnel, including the CRPF jawan from the 159 Battalion, have been evacuated and are receiving treatment at the district hospital in Sukma.

The encounter began at 8 am as part of an ongoing anti-Maoist operation in the region. 

Security forces recovered a cache of automatic weapons, including AK-47 rifles, Self-Loading Rifles (SLR), INSAS rifles, a .303 rifle, a rocket launcher, and a Barrel Grenade Launcher (BGL), along with explosives from the site of the gun battle.

With this latest encounter, the total number of Maoists killed this year has risen to 132. 

The operation underscores the intensified crackdown on Maoist insurgents, particularly in the conflict-ridden districts of Bijapur and Sukma, which have long been strongholds of Left-wing extremism.

Sukma remains a key operational zone for 1 Battalion of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), the most dreaded unit of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist). 

The presence of high-ranking Maoist cadres in the dense forests of the region has made it a challenging battleground for security forces.

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