A Maoist insurgent was killed in a gunfight with security forces in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh on Friday, as part of an ongoing anti-Naxal operation.
The incident occurred in the dense forests of the Kistaram police station area, where a joint team comprising the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Special Task Force (STF), and the CoBRA unit launched a search operation based on intelligence inputs about Maoist presence.
As the forces advanced into the forest, Maoists opened fire, triggering a retaliatory response. One insurgent was neutralised during the exchange, while a search operation in the area continues.
In a related development, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma paid tribute to CoBRA commando Mehul Solanki, who was martyred in an earlier encounter in Abujhmad forest, Narayanpur, on May 21.
The recent operations have led to the elimination of top Maoist leader Basava Raju, a high-ranking politburo member and general secretary of the banned outfit. Raju, who carried a bounty of ₹10 crore, was killed near the Narayanpur-Dantewada border along with 26 other Maoists, including Jangu Naveen alias Madhu, who had a bounty of ₹25 lakh.
The deaths of these high-value insurgents marked a major success for security forces. In celebration, DRG jawans sang, danced, and were welcomed with &ldquo;Aarti&rdquo; by their families. Visuals of the celebrations went viral on social media.
A massive cache of arms was recovered from the encounter site, including:
<ul data-start="1717" data-end="1924">
<li style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-start="1717" data-end="1735">
3 AK-47 rifles
</li>
<li style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-start="1736" data-end="1752">
4 SLR rifles
</li>
<li style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-start="1753" data-end="1771">
6 INSAS rifles
</li>
<li style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-start="1772" data-end="1785">
1 carbine
</li>
<li style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-start="1786" data-end="1803">
6 .303 rifles
</li>
<li style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-start="1804" data-end="1822">
1 BGL launcher
</li>
<li style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-start="1823" data-end="1844">
1 rocket launcher
</li>
<li style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-start="1845" data-end="1860">
2 bore guns
</li>
<li style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-start="1861" data-end="1892">
2 country-made Bharmar guns
</li>
<li style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;" data-start="1893" data-end="1924">
Other ammunition and supplies
</li>
</ul>
The combined bounty on the neutralised Maoists is estimated at ₹11.6 crore, underscoring the scale and impact of the operation.

Security forces eliminate high-value Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma and Narayanpur districts; arms recovered, ₹11.6 crore in bounties neutralised

Maoist Leader Basava Raju Killed in Sukma Clash

Security forces eliminate high-value Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma and Narayanpur districts; arms recovered, ₹11.6 crore in bounties neutralised

May 23, 2025 | 14:15 IST