Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Friday underlined the steady progress made in the state’s fight against Naxalism, saying that security forces have been achieving continuous success under his government. Speaking to reporters, the Chief Minister shared that since the BJP came to power, more than 450 Naxalites have been killed. “Our forces are consistently achieving victories in the fight against Naxalism. Over 450 Naxalites have been eliminated, and the number of those surrendering has also been rising. People are now keen to join the mainstream of development,” CM Sai said.
Maoist Surrender in Bijapur
Recently, in a major development, 103 Maoists gave up arms in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, officials confirmed on Friday. The surrendered rebels handed over weapons worth over Rs 1 crore. Each of them received a cheque of Rs 50,000 as rehabilitation support, according to Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) P. Sundarraj. On September 28, three Maoists, including a woman cadre, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Kanker district. Police reported that the gunfight took place in the hilly forests of Chhindkhadak village, under Kanker police station, when a joint team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) from Kanker and Gariaband along with Border Security Force (BSF) launched a search operation.
Recent Encounters and Recoveries
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kanker, I. K. Elesela, stated that during the firing, two male Maoists and one woman Maoist were neutralised. Among them was a rebel carrying a reward of Rs 14 lakh. After the clash, security forces searched the site and recovered the bodies along with weapons, including one SLR, one .303 rifle, one 12-bore gun, and other Maoist-related materials.
This action is part of a stronger counter-insurgency push in Bastar division, where security forces have been intensifying operations against Maoists. In the past months, several top Maoist leaders have been neutralised, weakening their organisational strength. Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had praised security forces for a major success against Naxalites in Narayanpur, near the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border.
