Naxalite carrying Rs 5 lakh bounty killed in encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh

Mangalore Today News Network

Dantewada, Mar 5, 2026: A Naxalite carrying a reward of ₹5 lakh was killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district, police said on Thursday.

The gunfight occurred on Wednesday night in the forested hills under the Geedam police station limits when a joint team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Bastar Fighters was conducting an anti-Naxal operation, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai said.

Police had received intelligence on March 3 that Maoists were hiding weapons and other materials in the forested hill region between Gumalnar, Girsapara and Nelgoda villages in the Geedam area bordering Bijapur district. Based on this information, the operation was launched.

While the security personnel were cordoning off the area, around 8–10 Naxalites from the Bhairamgarh Area Committee of the Maoist organisation allegedly opened indiscriminate fire with automatic weapons, triggering a gun battle.

Taking advantage of the dense forest, hilly terrain and darkness, most of the Maoists managed to escape. During a search of the encounter site, security personnel recovered the body of one Naxalite along with arms and ammunition.

The slain Naxalite was identified as Rajesh Punem, a resident of Burji village under Gangaloor police station limits in Bijapur district. He carried a bounty of ₹5 lakh.

Police said the recovered items included a self-loading rifle (SLR), an INSAS rifle, a pistol with a magazine, a walkie-talkie set, several magazines and live cartridges for SLR, INSAS and pistol, along with empty shells.

A search operation in the area is currently underway.

With this incident, at least 26 Naxalites have been killed in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh so far this year. On January 3, officials said 14 Maoists were killed in two encounters in the Bastar region, which comprises seven districts including Dantewada.

Last year, security forces killed 285 Maoists in encounters across Chhattisgarh. The Centre has set a deadline of March 31 this year to eliminate Left-Wing Extremism from the country.