GUWAHATI: At least 16 Naxalites were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on Saturday, March 29. The encounter took place in a forested area under the Kerlapal police station limits, where a joint team of security personnel was engaged in an anti-Naxalite operation.
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According to Bastar Inspector General (IG) Sundarraj P, the operation was launched on the night of Friday, March 28, following intelligence inputs regarding the presence of Maoists in the Kerlapal region. Personnel from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were involved in the mission.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah responded to the development on X, stating: “Another strike on Naxalism! Our security agencies have neutralised 16 Naxalites and recovered a massive cache of automatic weapons in an operation in Sukma.”
Security forces recovered the bodies of 16 Naxalites from the encounter site, and the operation remains ongoing. Two security personnel sustained minor injuries during the exchange of fire, officials confirmed.
Sukma, situated in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, has been a hotspot for Naxalite activity, witnessing multiple attacks in the past.
Authorities have intensified search operations in the surrounding forested terrain to ensure the area is clear of any remaining threats. Further details regarding the operation are expected to be released once it is fully concluded.
