Nine Naxals were killed during an encounter operation in the forest along the Dantewada-Bijapur border in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, police sources said. Automatic weapons were recovered from the Naxals, according to the police.

Dantewada SP Gaurav Rai said that a significant number of SLR rifles, .303 rifles, and .315 bore rifles were seized from the Naxals. All security personnel involved in the operation are safe, and search operations are ongoing in the area. A detailed report will be provided once the operation is concluded.

Earlier today, a joint police team launched a search operation following intelligence about the presence of Maoists from the West Bastar Division in the border region between Dantewada and Bijapur districts. The encounter between the police forces and the Naxals began at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, on August 29, three women Naxalites were killed in an encounter with the security forces in the dense forests of Abujhmad in Narayanpur. They were identified as members of the North Bastar Division Committee and the PLGA Company number 5.

A joint team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Special Task Force (STF), and the Border Security Force had engaged in the operation. As per information received from officials, a huge quantity of weapons including a 303 rifle and 315 bore guns and Naxal material were recovered from the spot.

On August 24, Union Home Minister assured that the government will be able to free the country from Naxalism by March 2026.

Shah was taking part in an inter-state coordination meeting with Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Chief Secretaries and Director Generals of Police of Chhattisgarh and neighbouring states over the left-wing extremism in the area. Union Home Minister assessed both the measures taken against Naxal insurgency and the advancement of infrastructure projects in regions known as Red corridors within nine states troubled by Left Wing Extremism (LWE).

(ANI)