Chhattisgarh Anti-naxal operation sees 22 Maoists killed so far in 2026

In an early morning encounter on Thursday, at least two Naxalites were killed during an anti-Maoist operation conducted by security forces in the forests of southern Bijapur district, a police official said.

The operation was carried out by a team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) after receiving intelligence about the presence of armed Maoist cadres in the area. The face-off began around 7 am, leading to an intermittent exchange of gunfire.

Following the encounter, the bodies of two Maoists were recovered along with an AK-47 rifle , a 9-mm pistol , and other arms and explosives. The operation in the area is still ongoing, officials said.

With this incident, the total number of Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh so far this year has reached 22. Earlier, on January 3, fourteen Maoists were gunned down in two separate encounters in the Bastar region, which includes seven districts, including Bijapur.

In 2025, a total of 285 Maoists were killed in encounters with security forces across the state. The central government has set a deadline of March 31 this year to eliminate Left-Wing Extremism from affected regions.