Three Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on Sunday morning, marking yet another significant development in the state’s intensified anti-insurgency operations. According to officials, the exchange of fire took place in the forested hills of Bhejji, an area under the Chintagufa police station limits—one of the most sensitive regions in the Bastar division.

Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sunderraj P said the encounter began when a team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) launched an operation based on precise intelligence inputs about the movement and presence of Maoist cadres in the area. The DRG, known for its deep forest combat expertise and local intelligence network, moved into the region early in the morning, prompting a gunfight soon after contact was established.

Among the three Maoists killed were senior and influential members of the insurgent network. They were identified as Jan Militia Commander Madvi Deva, who was known to be a sniper specialist and an area committee member; Cultural and Communications (CNM) Commander Podium Gangi; and area committee member Sodi Gangi, who served as the in-charge secretary of the Kistaram area committee. Their deaths mark a substantial operational success for the security forces, given their roles within the Maoist organisational structure.

The IG confirmed that the encounter was still ongoing and that additional forces had been kept on alert in anticipation of resistance from other Maoist units believed to be operating in the surrounding forests. The thickly forested and hilly terrain of Bhejji has historically provided Maoists with strategic advantages, making such operations both challenging and high-risk for security personnel.

This latest development adds to the rising number of Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh this year. With Sunday’s operation, the total number of insurgents killed in encounters in the state has reached 262. Of these, a significant 233 were eliminated in the Bastar division, which includes seven insurgency-hit districts such as Sukma, Dantewada, Bijapur, and Narayanpur. Another 27 Maoists were killed in Gariaband under the Raipur division, while two were gunned down in Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district of the Durg division.

The surge in encounters reflects the intensified pressure security forces have been applying across multiple Maoist strongholds. Over the past months, coordinated operations involving the DRG, the Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and its elite CoBRA battalions have led to a series of successes, including the neutralisation of several high-ranking Maoist leaders, recovery of large caches of explosives, and the weakening of Maoist operational capabilities.

However, officials caution that despite these gains, Maoist units continue to maintain influence in several interior pockets of Bastar, where dense forests and difficult terrain provide natural cover. Security agencies believe that continued pressure, improved local intelligence, and coordinated inter-agency efforts will be essential for sustaining the momentum against the insurgency.

With the current operation in Sukma still underway, security personnel remain deployed in the area as search efforts and combing operations continue to ensure that remaining Maoist cadres do not regroup or escape. Further details are expected as the situation develops.