New Delhi, Jan 21 (IANS): A senior Maoist leader, Jayaram Reddy, also known as Chalapati, who carried a bounty of Rs 1 crore, was among 14 Maoists killed in a fierce encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband district.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah hailed the operation as a "major success," calling it another significant blow to Naxalism.
The exchange of fire took place on Monday night in a forested area near the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border, in the Kularighat reserve forest, located just five kilometres from Odisha's Nuapada district.
The operation was carried out by a joint team of security forces, including the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), CoBRA from Chhattisgarh, and the Special Operations Group (SOG) from Odisha.
The encounter that was launched based on Intelligence inputs about Maoist presence, led to the recovery of a large cache of firearms, ammunition, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and a self-loading rifle. A massive search operation is currently underway in the area.
HM Shah, who has committed to eradicating Maoism by March 2026, praised the success of the security forces, stating, "Our security forces achieved major success towards building a Naxal-free Bharat."
He added, "With our resolve for a Naxal-free India and the joint efforts of our security forces, Naxalism is breathing its last today."
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai also lauded the security forces, emphasising that under the BJP-led government, both at the Centre and in the state, the mission to rid Chhattisgarh of Maoists is progressing swiftly towards the March 2026 target.
The operation is part of ongoing efforts to eliminate Maoist activity in Chhattisgarh, with over 40 Maoists killed in separate encounters this year alone.
Chalapati, a key figure in Maoist operations in the dense forests of Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, had recently relocated near the Odisha border to avoid the increasing frequency of encounters in his previous base.
In 2024, security forces killed over 200 Maoists in Chhattisgarh, including 217 from the Bastar region. The year also saw the arrest of over 800 Maoists and the surrender of approximately 802 others. Despite these successes, the ongoing conflict has resulted in the loss of 18 security personnel and 65 civilians.