Four Maoists, one jawan killed in an encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Abujhmad

RAIPUR, JAN 5: Four Maoists in uniform and a security personnel were killed during a fierce encounter in the Abujhmad area of Narayanpur district, Chhattisgarh, on Sunday. The gunfight took place as security forces intensified their anti-Maoist operations in the region.

“Based on specific inputs about the presence of Maoists in the Abujhmad (meaning unfamiliar land) region, a joint team of District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel from four Maoist-affected districts of Bastar division along with the Special Task Force (STF) left on the search operation on Saturday. In the ongoing encounter, bodies of four Maoists so far recovered from the spot. A head constable Sannu Karam of Dantewada DRG was martyred. The gun battle is still one and further details awaited. So far, the bodies of four Maoists have been recovered from the encounter site. Head Constable Sannu Karam, a member of the Dantewada DRG, was martyred during the operation. The exchange of fire was still ongoing at the time of the report, and additional details are awaited, ” said a police officer in Bastar.

Security forces recovered automatic weapons, including an AK-47 rifle and a Self-Loading Rifle (SLR), from the scene.

The operation is part of a renewed strategy to eliminate Maoist influence in Chhattisgarh. In 2024, the Maoists suffered significant losses in the Bastar region, with security forces neutralizing 219 Maoists in various encounters.

This is the second major gunfight against Maoists in Chhattisgarh this year. On Friday, a Maoist was killed in a separate encounter in Gariyaband district, around 170 kilometres east of Raipur.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier announced a nationwide deadline to eliminate the Maoist problem by March 2026, underscoring the government’s commitment to resolving the issue.

-PTI