In one of the deadliest encounters in recent years, Indian security forces have killed 31 Maoist rebels in the dense forests of Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, officials confirmed on Sunday.
The gunfight also claimed the lives of two Indian commandos, while two other security personnel were injured.
The Maoist insurgency, which began in the 1960s, claims to fight for the rights of tribal communities and rural poor but has led to decades of violent clashes with Indian security forces.
Sunday’s operation comes as part of the government’s intensified crackdown on Maoist strongholds. India’s Home Minister Amit Shah hailed the operation as a “big success” and reiterated the government’s goal of eliminating the insurgency by 2026.
Authorities recovered assault rifles and grenade launchers from the bodies of the slain rebels, indicating a heavily armed confrontation. Senior police officer Sundarraj Pattilingam stated that the death toll could rise as search operations continue.
The Maoists, inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, have long controlled large forested areas across multiple states in what is known as the “Red Corridor”—a region stretching from northeast to central India.
While major military and police offensives have weakened the insurgency, sporadic clashes still result in dozens of deaths annually.
Government data shows that 287 Maoists were killed in 2024 alone, with the majority of encounters occurring in Chhattisgarh. More than 10,000 people have died in the insurgency since it began.
With intensified operations against Maoist forces, the Indian government remains committed to dismantling the insurgency, despite continued clashes in remote forested regions.