Bijapur, January 17, 2026: Two Naxalites, including a Divisional Committee Member (DVCM), were gunned down in an encounter with security forces in the dense forests of Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on Saturday morning. The exchange of fire is reportedly still intermittent as security forces continue their search for other senior cadres, including top Maoist leader Papa Rao.
The Operation
The gunfight broke out in the early hours of Saturday in the forested hills of the district’s north-western region, specifically within the National Park area. The operation was launched based on specific intelligence regarding the presence of senior Maoist cadres.
A joint team comprising the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Special Task Force (STF), and the CoBRA unit of the CRPF led the offensive.
• Casualties: Bodies of two male Naxalites have been recovered from the spot.
• Identification: One of the deceased has been identified as Dilip Bedja, a Divisional Committee Member (DVCM) active in the National Park Area Committee. The identity of the second cadre is being ascertained.
• Recoveries: Security forces have recovered automatic weapons, including AK-47 rifles, from the encounter site.
• Target: Sources indicate that the operation was targeted at a large group of Naxals, potentially including Papa Rao, a member of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) and a high-value target for the state police.
Official Statement
Confirming the development, Bastar Inspector General (IG) P. Sundarraj stated that the operation is ongoing. “A search operation was initiated by a joint team in the forested hills of north-western Bijapur following intelligence inputs. Since this morning, there has been a continuous but intermittent exchange of fire,” the IG said. He added that the safety of the jawans is a priority given the difficult terrain.
This encounter marks a significant success for the security forces in 2026, following the Union Home Ministry’s directive to eliminate Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) by March 2026. The Bastar region has seen intensified operations in recent weeks to dismantle the senior leadership network of the banned CPI (Maoist).
