In Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, five more Maoists were neutralized by security forces on Saturday, marking the third consecutive day of an intensified counterinsurgency offensive in the Maoist stronghold. The latest encounter, which took place in the dense forests of Indravati National Park, brings the total number of Maoists killed during the ongoing operations to seven, including two senior commanders. Security forces recovered the bodies along with automatic weapons during ongoing search and clearance operations.

The joint operation, which began on June 5, is being conducted by personnel from the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Special Task Force (STF), and CoBRA units. Earlier in the week, security forces had eliminated Gautam alias Sudhakar, a Central Committee Member of the banned CPI (Maoist), and Bhaskar, a senior cadre of the Mancherial Komaram Bheem (MKB) Divisional Committee. Both were long-time operatives involved in multiple violent incidents across the Dandakaranya region.

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Sudhakar, who carried a bounty of ₹1 crore, served as the ideological chief of the Maoist Revolutionary Political School (RePOS), which played a major role in radicalizing tribal youth. A native of Chintalapudi village in Andhra Pradesh’s West Godavari district, he was linked to several deadly ambushes on security forces and civilians. His elimination marks one of the most significant tactical successes against Maoist leadership in recent months.

Bhaskar, 45, a resident of Adilabad in Telangana, was the Secretary of the MKB Divisional Committee and carried a ₹25 lakh bounty. He was killed on June 6 in a heavy exchange of fire, and his body was recovered with an automatic weapon from the site. Intelligence inputs confirmed the presence of other senior Maoist leaders, Telangana State Committee Press In-charge Bandi Prakash and Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee member Pappa Rao, at the scene of the encounter. Both are suspected to have escaped as intermittent gunfire continues in the area.

In total, the bodies of seven Maoists have been recovered so far, comprising five men and two women. The identities of the remaining five deceased cadres are currently being ascertained. Two AK-47 rifles and a significant cache of arms and ammunition have also been seized. Security officials reported minor injuries to a few personnel involved in the protracted operation. Area domination and combing operations remain underway across the terrain.

In a parallel development, seven Maoists surrendered before the police in the Dantewada district. Among them were Juglu alias Sundum Kovasi and Dasha alias Burku Podiyam, both carrying cash rewards of ₹50,000. The others who surrendered were Bhoja Ram Madavi, Lakhma alias Suti alias Lakhan Markam, Ratu alias Othe Kovasi, Sukhram Podiyam, and Pandru Ram Podiyam. Police officials attributed the increasing number of surrenders to the mounting pressure from successful security operations and consistent rehabilitation efforts.

This week’s encounters follow a high-impact 24-day anti-Maoist campaign in the Karrengutta hills along the Chhattisgarh–Telangana border. On May 21, 27 Maoists, including CPI (Maoist) General Secretary Basavaraju, were killed in a fierce gun battle. A week before that, security forces had eliminated 31 Maoists in the same region, marking two of the most successful anti-insurgency operations in recent memory.

Over the past year, several top Maoist leaders have been neutralized across Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh. Among them are Jayaram alias Chalapathi (₹1 crore bounty), Damodar from Telangana (₹50 lakh), and Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee operatives Neeti alias Nirmala (Chhattisgarh), Rupesh (Maharashtra), Dasru (Odisha), Randhir and Joganna (Telangana), each carrying ₹25 lakh rewards.

The intensified campaigns across Bastar are aligned with Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s national deadline to eliminate Left Wing Extremism by March 31, 2026. During his visits to Chhattisgarh in August and December 2024, Shah had warned Maoists to lay down arms or face full-scale security action. Since then, the frequency and scope of anti-Maoist missions in the Bastar region have significantly expanded.

The elimination of senior leaders like Sudhakar and Bhaskar represents a decisive setback for the Maoist leadership and organizational structure in the Dandakaranya zone. Security officials believe these targeted operations have severely disrupted insurgent networks. Forces remain on high alert as efforts continue to dismantle remaining Maoist strongholds and restore long-term peace and development across the region.