HYDERABAD: An encounter took place between police and Naxals on Saturday morning at the border of Sukma and Dantewada districts in Chhattisgarh. A joint force of 500-600 personnel from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) killed 16 Naxals during the operation. The incident occurred in the Kerelapal police station limits near Uppampalli.
DIG Kamlochan Kashyap informed media that the bodies of all 16 Naxals have been recovered. Automatic weapons such as INSAS and SLR rifles were also seized. Some of the slain Naxals were senior cadres, whose identification is currently underway.
The DIG further stated that two DRG personnel were injured in the encounter but are out of danger. The operation is nearly complete. DRG personnel trekked approximately 10 kilometres through the forest, carrying the bodies on their shoulders. Meanwhile, CRPF troops are continuing the search operation. The number of Naxals killed may increase.
Earlier, on 25 March, security forces had killed three Naxals, including Sudhir alias Sudhakar, who carried a reward of ₹25 lakh. In the Bastar range alone, security personnel have killed 100 Naxals in encounters in 2025 so far. Of these, 49 were killed in March alone.
