14 naxals killed in two separate encounters in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma, Bijapur

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, January 3, 2026: At least 14 Naxals were neutralised in two separate encounters with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma and Bijapur districts on Saturday, officials said, in one of the biggest recent anti-insurgency operations in the Bastar region.

The bodies of two Maoist cadres, including Hunga Madkam, were recovered along with one SLR and one 12-bore rifle from a forested area near Gaganpalli village under Basaguda police station limits in Bijapur district. With this, a total of 14 Maoist cadres—12 in Sukma and two in Bijapur—have been neutralised so far in two ongoing operations.

The operation was launched late on Friday evening by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) Sukma from Palodi and Potakpalli areas under Kistaram police station limits.

Automatic weapons, including AK-47 and INSAS rifles, were recovered from the encounter site.

Officials said the operation was closely monitored by Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan, adding that further details are awaited.

Earlier in the day, two Naxalites were killed in a separate encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, police said.

The exchange of fire began around 5 am in a forested area in the southern part of the district after a District Reserve Guard team launched an anti-Naxalite operation based on specific intelligence inputs about Maoist presence.

The bodies of two Naxalites were recovered by the security forces from the spot. Officials said the intermittent exchange of fire was still underway and further details were awaited.