Security forces in Chhattisgarh killed 10 Naxals, including top leader Manoj, during an encounter in Gariaband. Two more were shot in Bijapur, as gunfights and search operations continued across the region.
A fierce gun battle between security personnel and Naxal cadres raged on Friday morning in Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband district, nearly ten hours after forces neutralised senior Maoist leader Manoj and nine of his associates.
According to Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Yadav, a separate encounter was also underway in Bijapur, where two Naxals were killed. Security teams recovered a .303 rifle along with other arms and ammunition, and combing operations remain in progress.
Officials said special units, including the Gariaband E-30 team, the State Task Force (STF) and the elite CoBRA commandos, have been deployed at the site of the Gariaband clash. So far, ten weapons have been seized in addition to eliminating ten ultras, among them Manoj — also known as Modem Balkrishna — a Central Committee member of the outlawed CPI (Maoist).
On Thursday, Raipur Range Inspector General of Police Amresh Mishra confirmed that exchanges of fire were continuing and suggested more Maoist casualties were likely.
In a separate operation on the Kanker–Narayanpur border, security personnel shot dead another Naxal identified as a member of the PLGA’s Military Company 05. Authorities said he carried a reward of ₹8 lakh. The encounter took place in the rugged forests near Gedabeda village under Partapur police station limits. A .303 rifle and a walkie-talkie were recovered from the spot.
Sundarraj P, Inspector General of Police for Bastar Range, praised the determination of security forces operating in challenging terrain and harsh weather. He urged Maoist cadres to recognise that “Maoism is on the verge of ending” and to take advantage of the government’s rehabilitation policy instead of pursuing violence.
“The time has come for them to leave the path of bloodshed and return to the mainstream,” he said, warning that those persisting with armed activity would face strict consequences.
Recent weeks have seen several militants renounce the movement. In Bijapur district alone, 30 Naxals recently surrendered and were rehabilitated under state welfare schemes.
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