In a late-night anti-Naxal operation in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district, two women Naxalites were killed during an encounter with security forces in the dense forests of Abhujmaad. The joint operation by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Special Task Force (STF) was launched based on intelligence inputs regarding the movement of senior Maoist cadres in the region. The recovery of firearms from the site further confirms the presence of armed insurgents in the area, as the security forces continue combing operations on the ground.
Gunfight erupts in Abhujmaad region
According to police officials, the gunbattle broke out late Wednesday evening within the limits of Kohkameta police station. The region, part of the deeply forested Abhujmaad zone, has long served as a strategic hideout for Naxalite groups. Acting on precise intelligence, a joint team comprising DRG personnel from Narayanpur and Kondagaon districts along with STF units initiated the anti-Maoist operation.
As the forces moved into the targeted forest area, they encountered resistance, leading to an exchange of gunfire. After the firefight subsided, the team recovered the bodies of two women Naxalites from the site. One INSAS rifle and a .315 bore rifle were also found in their possession, suggesting the women were active armed members of the Maoist cadre.
Search continues in Maoist-dominated zone
Officials confirmed that the operation was launched based on information regarding the presence of senior Maoist leaders belonging to the Maad division, a crucial wing of the CPI (Maoist) network operating in the region. The Maad division has been active across several districts and is believed to play a significant role in coordinating ambushes and planning guerrilla attacks against security forces.
Security agencies suspect that the women killed were part of this division and may have held significant roles in the Maoist hierarchy. The recovered weapons further support the theory that the encounter involved high-level operatives. While the identities of the deceased Naxalites are yet to be confirmed, the police believe their neutralisation marks a tactical win in the ongoing efforts to dismantle Maoist influence in Abhujmaad.
Meanwhile, the search operation is still underway in the surrounding forest areas to trace any remaining members of the group who may have escaped during the encounter. Additional reinforcements have been deployed to ensure the area is fully secured and combed thoroughly.
Abhujmaad, known for its inaccessible terrain and lack of administrative control, has for decades been a stronghold of left-wing extremism. Security forces continue to carry out frequent operations in the area to weaken insurgent infrastructure and restore state control. This encounter marks another significant development in the long-running counter-insurgency campaign across the Bastar region.
