Security forces killed 31 uniformed Maoists, including 11 women, in an encounter in the Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh. Hunga Karma, a Divisional Committee Member (DVCM) of the West Bastar Division of CPI (Maoist), is one of five Maoists that authorities have identified. Karma was wearing a ₹8 lakh reward.
The four other Maoists who were identified were Ramesh (party member, National Park Area, ₹2 lakh reward), Sannu (member of Gangalur Area Committee, ₹5 lakh reward), Subhash Oyam (member of Indrawati National Park Area Committee, ₹5 lakh reward), and Mangu Hemla (commander in Platoon Number 11, ₹5 lakh reward).
According to Jitendra Kumar Yadav, the superintendent of police in Bijapur, the operation was started because of information about the presence of Maoists, including senior leaders Bandi Prakash and Bhaskar. TheNumerous weapons, explosives, and Maoist supplies were found during the search operation.
The two jawans killed in the encounter, Special Task Force (STF) constable Wasit Rawate and District Reserve Guard (DRG) head constable Naresh Dhruv, were honored by the Chhattisgarh police. Arun Dev Gautam, the director general of police (DGP) of Chhattisgarh, stated that their sacrifice would encourage other security forces to eradicate Maoism.
The gunfight took place on a wooded hill near the boundary between the Bijapur police stations of Madded and Farsegarh. As a result of this incident, security forces in Chhattisgarh have now killed 81 Naxalites in 2025.
