The security forces have neutralised at least 20 Naxals in a major counterinsurgency operation deep within the dense forests of Abujhmad, Chhattisgarh.

Launched at daybreak on Tuesday, the operation, still underway, marks one of the most significant offensives against Naxal insurgents in recent months. Sources suggest the toll may rise as the exchange of fire continues across the forested tri-junction of Narayanpur, Bijapur, and Dantewada districts.

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Personnel from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) of Narayanpur, Bijapur, Dantewada, and Kondagaon have surrounded a group of top Naxal commanders in a meticulously coordinated strike across the restive tri-junction zone of Narayanpur, Bijapur, and Dantewada districts, an area long regarded as a Naxal stronghold.

According to police sources, the operation was launched based on precise intelligence inputs regarding the presence of high-ranking Naxal leaders in the Maad region of Abujhmad. The DRG units, comprised largely of local tribal youth trained in guerrilla warfare, managed to intercept and engage the insurgents in their forest hideouts, leading to a sustained firefight that has lasted several hours.

“The encounter began at daybreak and is still underway. Preliminary reports suggest around 20 Naxals have been neutralised, though we are awaiting confirmation from the ground teams. Multiple senior Naxal cadres are believed to be trapped in the operation zone,” a senior police officer monitoring the operation told The Statesman. The combing operation is ongoing, and reinforcements have been rushed to the area to prevent the escape of any fleeing Naxals.

The dense and hostile terrain of Abujhmad, often dubbed the ‘liberated zone’ by Maoist propaganda, has long posed a serious challenge to security forces. However, recent months have seen increased penetration by the DRG, backed by UAV surveillance and enhanced local intelligence networks.

Security forces are exercising caution as they advance through the forested terrain to recover weapons, confirm casualties, and neutralise any remaining threats. As the encounter unfolds, officials are maintaining operational secrecy but suggest this strike could deal a severe blow to the Maoist presence in the region.