At least six Maoist terrorists belonging to the banned CPI (Maoist) were killed in an encounter with security forces in the hilly, forested terrain of Abujhmad in Narayanpur district, Chhattisgarh, about 400 km south of Raipur, on Friday, July 18, 2025.

The operation was undertaken following specific intelligence inputs on Maoist presence in the region. Multiple security agencies, including the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Special Task Force (STF), and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), launched a coordinated search operation.

The exchange of fire commenced on Friday afternoon and continued intermittently, reflecting the challenging and rugged nature of Abujhmad—an area long considered a Maoist stronghold due to its dense forests and lack of road connectivity. According to police statements, no injuries were reported among the security personnel during the encounter.

From the site, six bodies of Maoist cadres have been recovered, though identification was still pending as of the latest reports. Security forces also seized a significant cache of weapons, including an AK-47 rifle, a Self-Loading Rifle (SLR), other arms, explosive materials, and miscellaneous daily-use items. Due to ongoing operations and safety concerns, police withheld further operational details.

This encounter is part of a broader, intensified government campaign to root out Maoist influence from Chhattisgarh and the wider Bastar Range. In the last 18 months alone, an estimated 421 Maoist cadres have been killed in various encounters across the Bastar Range.

The region has seen escalated security measures, and the Centre has set a target to eliminate the Maoist threat by March 31, 2026.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai lauded the security forces for their success and reiterated the government's resolve to achieve a “Naxal Mukt Chhattisgarh” (Naxal-Free Chhattisgarh) under central guidance, highlighting the operation as a significant blow to the insurgency.

The search operation in Abujhmad is ongoing, and authorities have indicated that further details will be disclosed once personnel safety can be ensured.

Agencies