Bijapur (Chhattisgarh), December 4: 18 Naxalite bodies were recovered from the Keshkutul forests of Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh. They were killed in a fierce gun battle with a combined security force. By the way, the death toll rose from 12 to 18 after additional bodies were recovered during combing operations on Thursday.

The encounter began on Wednesday when a joint team of District Reserve Guard (DRG), Special Task Force (STF), CoBRA commandos of the CRPF, and local police launched an anti-Naxal operation near Gangaloor police station, acting on specific intelligence. The Maoists from the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) opened heavy fire, triggering an intense exchange that lasted hours.

Despite facing automatic weapons and IED threats, security forces effectively neutralized 18 Maoists on the spot. A large cache of weapons and explosives was also seized. Identification of the deceased Maoists is ongoing.

Tragically, three security personnel—Head Constable Monu Mohan Baddi, Constable Dukaru Gonde (posthumously promoted to Head Constable), and Jawan Ramesh Sodi—lost their lives in the operation. Their bodies were brought to Bijapur headquarters, where tributes were paid by officers, jawans, and local citizens.

This operation is another major success in the ongoing fight against Left Wing Extremism in the region.