Bijapur encounter: Bodies of 18 Maoists recovered, three security personnel die in gunbattle
In a major win for the state’s fight against Maoist groups, forces in Bijapur’s Keshkutul forest killed 18 Naxalites during a hard‑fought shootout early this year.
The death toll, initially reported as 12, climbed to 18 after a thorough sweep of the battlefield on Thursday morning uncovered six additional bodies.
The confrontation kicked off the previous day when a joint team—comprising the District Reserve Guard, the Special Task Force, CoBRA commandos from the CRPF, and local police—acted on specific intelligence and launched an operation from the Gangaloor police station jurisdiction.
Members of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army’s Company No 2 from both Bhairamgarh and Gangaloor Area Committees opened heavy fire on the advancing troops, sparking an intense exchange that lasted several hours.
Despite being outnumbered and facing automatic weapons and improvised explosive devices, the security personnel fought back effectively, neutralising the 18 militants on site.
All bodies were recovered, along with a substantial cache of weapons and explosives. The team is still identifying the deceased Naxalites, and Police Superintendent Jitendra Singh Meena said personal details would be released once the process is complete.
Search operations are still underway in the surrounding forests to track any surviving cadres.
Three police personnel lost their lives in the operation. Head Constable Monu Mohan Baddi, Constable Dukaru Gonde (posthumously promoted to Head Constable), and Jawan Ramesh Sodi of the District Reserve Guard showed exemplary courage and paid the ultimate price.
Their remains were brought to Bijapur headquarters on Thursday, where emotional tributes were offered at the Police Line Shaheed Vatika on the Bijapur‑Gangaloor road. Officers, jawans, and local residents laid flowers and observed a two‑minute silence in honour of the martyrs.
This successful operation marks yet another significant victory for Chhattisgarh Police and central forces in their ongoing campaign against Left‑Wing Extremism.
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