3 Naxalites Killed in Bastar: Security Forces Eliminate Sniper Specialist in Major Anti-Maoist Operation

233 Maoists have been killed in the Bastar Range so far in 2025 (File photo)

Security forces achieved a significant victory against Left-wing extremism as three Maoists, including two women, were eliminated during an encounter in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Sunday.

Among the deceased was Madvi Deva, a Janmilitia commander and sniper specialist who carried a bounty of Rs 5 lakh. The other two Maoists also had similar rewards on their heads.

The confrontation occurred within the jurisdiction of Bhejji police station, where combined teams from the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Bastar Fighters, and CRPF recovered a .303 rifle, a BGL grenade launcher, and substantial ammunition from the encounter site.

Following intelligence about Maoist movement near the Bhejji-Chintagufa border on November 16 night, DRG personnel initiated a search operation.

When the security team entered the dense Tumalpad forest Sunday morning, Maoists opened fire, leading to an extended gun battle. Security forces responded, with sporadic gunfire continuing for several hours before the three bodies were recovered during subsequent combing operations.

Bastar Range IG Sundarraj P confirmed that 233 Maoists have been neutralized in the Bastar Range during 2025, expressing confidence that Naxalism would soon be eradicated.

This Sukma encounter follows closely after a major operation in Bijapur district on November 11, where six Maoists, including three women, were killed in the National Park area. Among them was Buchanna, who led the Maddeed Area Committee, and Urmila, wife of senior Maoist commander Paparao, who managed to escape once again. The intensified crackdown has also resulted in surrenders by Kamalu, who headed the Bhairamgarh Area Committee, and Dinesh Modiyam, leader of the Gangalore Area Committee. Buchanna's death means all three area committees—Bhairamgarh, Gangalore, and Maddeed—now lack leadership, indicating the diminishing Maoist presence in the district.

Officials report that Maoist activity is now restricted to just one or two locations in the region. The escalation in operations aligns with Union Home Minister Amit Shah's directive to achieve a Maoist-free country by March 31, 2026, intensifying pressure on security forces throughout central India.

However, the situation on the ground remains challenging.

Approximately 300 dedicated Maoist fighters continue to operate in South Bastar's remote forests, under the leadership of four notorious commanders: Devji, Paparao, Hidma, and Ganesh Uikey—each with a Rs 1 crore reward. While the North Sub-Zonal Bureau of the Maoist movement has largely disintegrated, the South Sub-Zonal Bureau, encompassing West Bastar, South Bastar, and the dangerous Darbha region, continues to resist government forces.

These four commanders and their estimated 300 fighters have strengthened their final bastions, resisting state advances.

As Chhattisgarh commemorates 25 years of statehood, the statistics highlight the tremendous cost of this prolonged conflict: 3,404 armed encounters, 1,541 Maoists killed, 1,315 security personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty, and 1,817 civilian casualties.

With recent encounters, surrenders, and contracting Maoist territories suggesting a potential turning point, officials believe the movement is closer to collapse than ever before.

However, until the four principal commanders are neutralized, the struggle for Bastar's final strongholds remains the defining challenge in India's extended campaign against Maoist insurgency.