Chhattisgarh: Woman Maoist killed in anti-Maoist operation in Bijapur

Police said that the body of the deceased is yet to identified and a combing operation is going on. With this, the total number of women Maoists killed in the area since April 21 has risen to four

Published on: May 6, 2025, 19:08:16 IST

By Ritesh Mishra

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RAIPUR: A woman Maoist was killed in an encounter with security forces in the Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, as part of a large-scale anti-Naxal operation currently underway in the region, police said on Tuesday.

Police said that the encounter took place on Monday night in the dense forests surrounding the Karregutta hills along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border. (Representational image)

Police said that the body of the deceased is yet to identified and a combing operation is going on.

Inspector General of Police, Bastar range, Sunderaj O said that the encounter took place on Monday night in the dense forests surrounding the Karregutta hills along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border.

With this latest encounter, the total number of women Maoists killed in the area since April 21 has risen to four. Security forces recovered a .303 rifle from the encounter site.

Earlier, on April 24, three women Naxalites were gunned down in the same region, and a significant cache of weapons, explosives, and other materials was seized.

The operation, described as one of the largest counter-insurgency missions in Bastar, involves around 24,000 personnel from various units, including Chhattisgarh Police’s District Reserve Guard (DRG), Bastar Fighters, Special Task Force (STF), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and its elite CoBRA unit.

Authorities launched the offensive following intelligence inputs about the presence of top Maoist leaders, including those from the Telangana state committee and the heavily armed ‘battalion number 1’—regarded as the strongest military wing of the Maoists.

According to police, the Karregutta hill range serves as a stronghold for the battalion. Intelligence reports suggest that several senior cadres have been either killed or critically injured during the operation.

So far, hundreds of Maoist hideouts and bunkers have been destroyed, and large quantities of explosives, detonators, food supplies, and daily-use items have been recovered.

Six security personnel from STF, DRG, and CoBRA units sustained injuries in separate pressure IED blast incidents but are reported to be out of danger.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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