Security forces in Chhattisgarh have achieved a significant victory against Maoist insurgents, eliminating three cadres with a combined bounty of ₹7 lakh in an intense encounter in Sukma district. The operation unfolded on 18 December 2025 in the forested hills under Golapalli police station limits, underscoring the relentless pressure exerted by law enforcement on Naxalite strongholds.

The Sukma District Reserve Guard (DRG) spearheaded the mission, acting on precise intelligence about Maoist presence in the area. A search operation commenced early in the morning, promptly triggering sporadic exchanges of fire between the security personnel and the insurgents. The confrontation persisted intermittently until the Maoists were neutralised.

Upon cessation of hostilities, the forces recovered the bodies of two male Maoists and one female cadre from the encounter site. Police identified them as Madvi Joga alias Munna, an Area Committee Member (ACM) from Narayanpur district affiliated with the Konta Area Committee; Sodhi Bandi, another ACM from Singhanamadgu in Sukma's Kistaram area; and Nuppo Bajni, a Local Organisation Squad (LOS) member from Tekalguda in the Jagargunda area.

Each of the male Maoists carried a reward of ₹5 lakh, while the female LOS member had a bounty of ₹2 lakh, totalling ₹7 lakh. Authorities confirmed that all three operated under the Konta/Kistaram Area Committee and were implicated in multiple serious offences, highlighting their role in sustaining Maoist violence in the region.

A thorough search of the site yielded substantial weaponry and materiel, including a 9 mm service pistol, a 12-bore shotgun, a BGL cell, a tiffin bomb, and a considerable quantity of explosives alongside other Naxalite paraphernalia. These recoveries not only deprive the insurgents of operational capability but also provide vital intelligence for future actions.

Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan detailed the operation's success, attributing it to credible inputs and the DRG's tactical proficiency. The encounter exemplifies the efficacy of intelligence-driven operations in penetrating Maoist hideouts within Chhattisgarh's dense Bastar terrain.

Bastar Range Inspector General of Police Sundarraj Pattilingam contextualised the incident within broader counter-insurgency efforts. He revealed that joint operations in 2025 have resulted in the elimination of 255 Maoists to date, encompassing high-value targets such as Central Committee members, DKSZC members, and People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) cadres.

This year's toll reflects a marked degradation of the Maoist infrastructure in Bastar, with sustained pressure eroding their command structures and logistical networks. IG Pattilingam emphasised that such outcomes stem from coordinated endeavours by district forces, state police, and central agencies.

The IG extended an appeal to surviving Maoists, urging them to renounce violence and embrace the government's surrender and rehabilitation programme. This policy offers a pathway to reintegration, complete with vocational training and financial incentives, aimed at dismantling the insurgency from within.

Chhattisgarh's Maoist challenge remains concentrated in the Bastar division, where rugged topography and remote villages have long shielded Naxalite activities. Encounters like this one in Sukma disrupt area committees, which serve as the insurgency's tactical backbone for recruitment, extortion, and ambushes.

The operation aligns with India's broader 'Naxal-free' ambition by 2026, propelled by enhanced mobility, drone surveillance, and fortified forward operating bases. In 2025 alone, security forces have intensified patrols, yielding surrenders alongside neutralisations and crippling Maoist supply lines.

Recovered arms such as the 9 mm pistol and tiffin bomb indicate the insurgents' reliance on improvised and scavenged ordnance, vulnerable to disruption. The BGL cell, a barrel grenade launcher component, points to their efforts to replicate sophisticated weaponry amid dwindling external support.

Demographically, the slain cadres hail from local tribal communities, a recurring pattern in Maoist ranks exploited through coercion and ideology. Neutralising ACMs like Madvi Joga and Sodhi Bandi severs leadership links, potentially triggering defections among lower-tier members.

Women like Nuppo Bajni constitute a growing segment of Maoist squads, often deployed in support roles yet bearing arms. Their elimination underscores the inclusive nature of counter-insurgency operations, which target all active combatants irrespective of gender.

Chhattisgarh Police data for 2025 portrays a trajectory of decline: over 700 surrenders, hundreds of arrests, and arms seizures paralleling the 255 killings. This multifaceted strategy has confined Maoist influence to core pockets, reducing their sway over adjacent states.

Nationally, the Union Home Ministry reports a 70% drop in Naxal-affected districts since 2014, crediting hybrid warfare tactics. Chhattisgarh, bearing the brunt with Bastar as epicentre, mirrors this progress through operations like Golapalli.

Future implications hinge on maintaining momentum, with monsoon withdrawals and winter offensives historically amplifying Maoist vulnerability. Intelligence fusion centres and human intelligence networks will prove pivotal in pre-empting regrouping attempts.

Civilian safety remains paramount, as operations prioritise minimal collateral damage amid appeals for community cooperation. Development initiatives in surrendered zones—roads, schools, and electrification—further erode Maoist appeal by addressing grievances.

The Sukma encounter reinforces the narrative of a waning Maoist threat, propelled by professionalised forces and policy incentives. As 2025 draws to a close, Bastar's security landscape inches towards stability, promising respite for long-suffering locales.

Agencies