Raipur
Two Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in the forests of Indravati National Park on Saturday morning. Security personnel recovered AK-47 rifles from the spot.
Intermittent firing continues between a joint team of security forces and Maoists. Authorities received intelligence inputs regarding the presence of a large group of insurgents, including high-ranking leader Papa Rao, in the national park area.
District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel were conducting an anti-Naxal operation in the National Park circuit when they encountered a large contingent of Maoists. Security forces have cordoned off the forest to retrieve the bodies and track remaining insurgents.
Bijapur police issued a press statement confirming that the operation is ongoing. Officials have withheld specific details regarding the exact location and the number of personnel involved to ensure the safety of the troops on the ground.
The encounter comes amid an intensified push to neutralise top Maoist leadership. Security forces are currently tracking several high-profile figures:
Thippari Tirupati alias Devji (61): A resident of Telangana and General Secretary of the Maoist organisation, carrying a reward of ₹1 crore in Chhattisgarh.
Muppala Lakshmana Rao alias Ganapathy (74): The former General Secretary who stepped down due to age-related ailments. He remains a key Maoist figure with a bounty exceeding ₹1 crore.
Mishir Besra alias Bhaskar (62): A Politburo member from Jharkhand and head of the Eastern Regional Bureau (ERB), carrying a reward of over ₹1 crore.
Papa Rao alias Mangu (56): A member of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZCM) from Sukma. He is the current in-charge of the West Bastar Division Committee.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has set a deadline of 31 March 2026 to make Bastar Naxal-free. Following a massive crackdown throughout 2025, the influence of insurgents, active in the region for four decades, has significantly waned.
