Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday commended the efforts of security forces after 22 Naxalites were neutralized in two separate operations in Bijapur and Kanker districts of Chhattisgarh. He described the operation as a significant success in the ongoing ‘Naxal Mukt Bharat Abhiyan’.
“Today, our soldiers have achieved another big success in the direction of ‘Naxal Mukt Bharat Abhiyan’. Twenty-two Naxalites were killed in two separate operations by our security forces in Bijapur and Kanker districts of Chhattisgarh,” Shah said in a post on X.
Reaffirming the government’s stringent stance against Naxalites who refuse to surrender, Shah said that India would be “Naxal-free” before March 31 next year.
“The Modi government is moving forward with a ruthless approach against Naxalites and is adopting a zero-tolerance policy against those who do not surrender despite all the facilities provided for their rehabilitation. The country is on track to be Naxal-free before March 31 next year,” he added.
Security forces successfully eliminated 22 Naxalites in two encounters in Bijapur and Kanker districts, the police reported on Thursday.
In the first operation, 18 Maoists were neutralized in the forest area at the Bijapur-Dantewada border, according to Inspector General (IG) of Bastar, P Sundarraj. However, one personnel from the Bijapur District Reserve Guard lost his life in the encounter. The exchange of fire began at 7 a.m. on Thursday, police added.
In the second encounter, four Naxalites were killed near Koroskodo village in the Chhotebethiya police station area, located on the Kanker-Narayanpur border.
Security forces also recovered automatic weapons, and intermittent firing continued in the region, officials reported. Search operations are still underway in both districts.
The recent operations follow a series of successful actions against Naxalites in Chhattisgarh. Last week, 17 Naxalites surrendered in Bijapur district. In February, security forces arrested 18 Naxalites and recovered explosives in three separate operations in the Bijapur district.
(Inputs from ANI)
