Twelve persons believed to be cadres of the Maoist party and three personnel of the District Reserve Guard (DRG), a specialized unit of the state police, were killed in a fierce exchange of fire in the West Bastar division area along the Bijapur–Dantewada inter-district border on Wednesday, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj Pattilingam announced to the press today.
According to the IGP, two DRG personnel also sustained injuries in the skirmish and their conditions were stated to be out of danger. They have been admitted in a hospital for immediate medical attention.
As per the IGP’s report, the gun battle broke out in a forest along the border of Bijapur-Dantewada districts when a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Maoist operation. Personnel belonging to the DRG from Dantewada and Bijapur, and Special Task Force, both units of the state police, and CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action- an elite unit of CRPF) were involved in the operation.
The operation was planned following intelligence inputs concerning the presence of Maoists operating in the area. Additional reinforcement has been rushed into the area and efforts are on to cordon off the region, as the forces have intensified the search operation in and around the encounter scene, the IGP told the press.
So far, the bodies of 12 individuals purported to be Maoists have been recovered from the encounter spot, but their identities have yet to be established, the IGP stated in his prepared remarks, adding that a large cache of weapons including AK-47 rifles, Self Loading Rifles, Light Machine Gun, INSAS assault rifles, .303 rifles, explosives and other items of use by the Maoists have also been seized from the site.
In conclusion, the IGP stated that detailed information will be shared after the combing operation is over, adding that the identification process of the recovered bodies of the alleged Maoists will be carried out after the operation concludes, and that there remains a possibility of recovering more bodies of persons suspected to be Maoists from the area of the encounter.
According to the police the area where the gunfight occurred is stated to be the epicenter of activity of the CPI (Maoist).
Source : https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Dec/03/twelve-maoists-three-jawans-killed-in-encounter-in-chhattisgarhs-bijapur
Source : https://telanganatoday.com/chhattisgarh-five-naxalites-one-drg-jawan-killed-in-encounter-in-bijapur