Raipur, Chhattisgarh (India), March 20 : Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma expressed condolences on Thursday following the death of a District Reserve Guard (DRG) jawan and the killing of 22 Naxalites in separate encounters in Bijapur and Kanker districts.
In a statement, Deputy CM Sharma confirmed that 18 of the 22 Naxalites killed in the encounters have been recovered. The search operations, which began earlier in the day in the Gangaloor area, located between Bijapur and Dantewada, also led to the martyrdom of DRG jawan Raju Oyyami.
“So far, the bodies of 18 Naxalites have been recovered, and one of our DRG jawans, Raju, has also been martyred. The entire government stands with his family, may God give them strength,” said Sharma. He also extended his congratulations to the soldiers of Bastar and the entire Bijapur team for their bravery, and mentioned that a search operation was simultaneously underway in Kanker.
The encounter in the Bijapur-Dantewada border area started at 7 AM, during which security forces neutralized 18 Maoists. In the second encounter, four Naxalites were killed near the village of Koroskodo in the Chhotebethiya police station area of Kanker. Police sources confirmed that the security forces recovered automatic weapons and that intermittent firing continued as operations unfolded.
The fight against Naxalism in Chhattisgarh has seen significant developments recently. Last week, 17 Naxalites surrendered in Bijapur, marking a notable success in the state’s efforts to curb Maoist activities. These individuals were reportedly involved in various capacities with the Gangaloor area committee of the outlawed Maoist group.
Earlier in February, 18 Naxalites were arrested in Bijapur, with explosives recovered from their possession. The police operations in these areas continue as part of the ongoing efforts to dismantle Maoist influence in the region.