Narayanpur (Chhattisgarh) [India], June 5 (HBTV): Inspector General (IG) of Bastar Range, P Sundarrajm said that the joint operation during which 27 Naxals, including CPI (Maoist) General Secretary Basavaraju were killed, was carried out by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) teams from Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur, and Kondagaon.

Sundarraj stated that the encounter occurred in the Abujmarh area, a known Naxal stronghold, after receiving intelligence inputs about the presence of senior Maoist leaders.

‘In the border area of Bijapur, Narayanpur, and Dantewada, in the Abujmarh area, we had information about the presence of banned and illegal organisation CPI (Maoist)'s General Secretary Basavaraju alias BR Dada and other senior cadres of the organisation. DRG teams from Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur, and Kondagaon were dispatched. During the operation, since 7–8 am this morning, our DRG teams engaged in multiple encounters with the Naxalites. After the operation, 27 bodies were recovered, including that of General Secretary Basavaraju,’ he told ANI.

He added that AK-47 rifles, SLR-INSAS carbines, and other weapons were recovered in large numbers. One DRG jawan was martyred, and several others were injured during the encounter.

‘AK-47 rifles, SLR-INSAS carbines, and other arms and ammunition in heavy numbers were recovered. One DRG jawan was martyred in the operation. The injured jawans are undergoing treatment and are out of danger. A search operation is ongoing at the encounter site,’ he added.

Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that security forces had neutralised 27 dreaded Maoists, including Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, the general secretary of CPI (Maoist), during the operation in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district. He hailed the operation as a ‘major breakthrough’.

In a post on X, Shah said this was the first time in three decades of India’s battle against Naxalism that a general secretary-ranked leader had been neutralised by security forces.

Referring to Basavaraju as the backbone of the Naxal movement, Shah said that 54 Naxalites have been arrested and 84 have surrendered in Chhattisgarh following the completion of Operation Black Forest.

‘A landmark achievement in the battle to eliminate Naxalism. Today, in an operation in Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh, our security forces have neutralised 27 dreaded Maoists, including Nambala Keshav Rao, alias Basavaraju, the general secretary of CPI (Maoist), topmost leader and the backbone of the Naxal movement,’ Shah said in his post.

‘This is the first time in three decades of Bharat’s battle against Naxalism that a general secretary-ranked leader has been neutralised by our forces. I applaud our brave security forces and agencies for this major breakthrough. Also glad to share that after the completion of Operation Black Forest, 54 Naxalites have been arrested and 84 have surrendered in Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Maharashtra. The Modi government is resolved to eliminate Naxalism before March 31, 2026,’ he added.

On Wednesday morning, an encounter broke out between security forces and Naxals in the forested region of Abujhmad in Narayanpur district.

Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao affirmed that the security forces are working ‘diligently’ to make Bastar Naxal-free by March 2026.

‘After the formation of our government in the state, a programme is running to make Bastar Naxal-free. In Narayanpur, more than two dozen Naxalites have been killed in an encounter. Our security forces are working diligently so that by March 2026, Bastar becomes Naxal-free,’ Sao told ANI.

The Deputy Chief Minister confirmed that one soldier was injured during the encounter.

Security forces conducted Operation Black Forest near Karreguttalu Hill (KGH), located at the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border, to dismantle the Naxal network.

(ANI)