Narayanpur (Chhattisgarh): Two Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh on Monday, the police said. Their identities are yet to be ascertained. The exchange of fire continued till late in the afternoon.
According to an official, a large quantity of explosive material and some weapons were seized from the encounter site. The gun battle broke out in the morning at a forest in Abhujmaad, adjoining Maharashtra, when a team of security forces was out on a search operation, he said.
The operation was launched based on inputs about the presence of CPI (Maoist) cadres in the area, he said. Among the weapons seized was an AK-47 rifle. Maoist literature, propaganda material, and daily use items were also seized from the encounter site, the official said.
The two deaths have taken the toll of Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh this year to 249. Of them, 220 were killed in the Bastar division alone. This division comprises seven districts. While 27 others were eliminated in the Gariaband district of the Raipur division, two Maoists were killed in Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district in the Durg division.
On September 11, ten Maoists, including the outfit’s central committee member Modem Balakrishna, were killed in an encounter in the state’s Gariaband district. Balakrishna, who not only masterminded, but took part in several operations, carried a bounty of Rs 1 crore.
The government has decided to eliminate Left Wing Extremism (LWE) from the country by the end of March 2026 and relentless strikes are being carried out against the rebels. A large number of the top leadership of the outfit has been eliminated, it is believed.
Recently, a purported statement by the Maoists, urging the government for a month-long ceasefire and dialogue, did the rounds. The government, however, has made it clear that the only option left for the Naxalites to remain alive is to lay down arms and surrender. A number of rehabilitation schemes have been launched for the surrendered rebels.
