30 Maoists killed, one jawan martyred in two separate encounters in Chhattisgarh (2nd Ld)

Raipur, March 20 (IANS) In a decisive crackdown on Maoist insurgency, security forces in Chhattisgarh have gunned down 30 Maoists in two intense encounters that began on Thursday morning in the Bastar region.

The first operation started along the Bijapur-Dantewada border, while the second took place near the Kanker-Narayanpur border.

However, the success came with the loss of a District Reserve Guard’s life who was martyred during the exchange of fire.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah applauded the security forces for their success earlier in the day and said they had successfully eliminated 22 Maoists on the two separate operations.

Also, state Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai hailed the security forces for the crackdown on Maoists.

Home Minister Shah had said in a post on X that it was another major success as part of the 'Naxal Mukt Bharat Abhiyan' as the country is poised to become ‘naxal-free’ by March 31 next year.

A well-placed police source told IANS that 26 Maoists were killed in the Bijapur encounter, while four more were eliminated in Kanker. Tragically, he said, the operation in Bijapur also claimed the life of a brave District Reserve Guard (DRG) jawan, who was martyred during the exchange of fire.

Heavy firing continued from both sides until Thursday afternoon. Security forces have recovered the bodies of the slain Maoists along with a cache of automatic weapons from the encounter sites, marking a significant blow to the insurgents.

In a separate incident, two jawans sustained injuries in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in the Thulthuli area, located near the Narayanpur-Dantewada border. Both injured personnel are reported to be in stable condition and are receiving medical care.

The operations were launched following intelligence reports about a large gathering of Maoists in the Gangaloor area. Acting on this information, security forces initiated a joint operation along the Dantewada-Bijapur border.

The forces had already reached the Andri area on Wednesday, and the encounter began early Thursday morning. These coordinated efforts reflect the relentless determination of security forces to dismantle Maoist strongholds and restore peace in the affected areas.

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