National: A significant anti-Naxal operation is underway in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district, where security forces have eliminated 16 Naxalites in an intense encounter.
According to Bastar Inspector General of Police, Sundarraj P, the gunfight resulted in the deaths of 16 Naxal operatives, while two security personnel sustained minor injuries.
The operation was launched on Friday, March 28, as part of a joint anti-Naxal mission involving the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
The action was taken based on specific intelligence inputs regarding Naxal presence in the region. Security forces moved into the area under Sukma police station limits, and intermittent firing has continued since early Saturday morning.
Currently, the forces are conducting an intensive search operation in and around the encounter site and the surrounding forested terrain to secure the region and gather further intelligence.
The operation is a significant blow to Naxalite activities in the region, which has been plagued by violence and insurgency. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has set a goal to eradicate Naxalism from India by 2026, citing a 53% reduction in violent incidents over the past decade.
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