At least 16 Naxalities were killed in a gunfight with the security forces on Monday during a joint operation launched by Odisha and Chhattisgarh police. This incident comes a day after two women Naxalities were gunned down by security forces in Chhattisgarh.
A top Naxal commander, Jayram alias Chalapathi, with a reward of Rs 1 crore, was also killed, said a senior police official.
The joint interstate operation, assisted by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), took place in the border areas of Nuapada district of Odisha and Gariabandh district of Chhattisgarh.
The joint forces were acting on intelligence inputs about many Naxalities operating in the deep forests in the border area. Subsequently, they launched a joint interstate operation on January 19.
A huge cache of arms, ammunition and explosives has been recovered by the security forces following the encounter. According to the Odisha Police, the number of casualties from the Naxal side might go up.
"A massive search operation is underway in the area," said a senior police official.
Saying that India is on the verge of eliminating Naxalism, Union Home Minister Amit Shah took to X and wrote, " Another mighty blow to Naxalism. Our security forces achieved major success towards building a Naxal-free Bharat.
Thanking the CRPF, Odisha and Chhattisgarh police, Shah further wrote, "With our resolve for a Naxal-free India and the joint efforts of our security forces, Naxalism is breathing its last today."
Speaking at Agenda Aaj Tak last year, Amit Shah said that naxalism would completely be wiped out of the country by March 2026.Last month, Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma said that at least 220 Naxalities were killed in the state in 2024 alone, as compared to 219 Naxalities killed in the last five years. As many as 15 Naxalities have been eliminated in joint interstate operations so far in 2025, according to police sources.
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