Image Source hindustantimes
BIJAPUR, CHHATTISGARH | Saturday, January 17, 2026
In a major blow to the outlawed CPI (Maoist) organization, security forces gunned down at least two Maoists, including a high-ranking divisional committee member, during a fierce gun battle in the forested hills of northwestern Bijapur today.
The Encounter Details
The gunfight erupted in the early morning hours when a joint task force—comprising the Special Task Force (STF), the District Reserve Guard (DRG), and the elite CoBRA unit of the CRPF—was conducting a search operation based on specific intelligence.
- Key Casualty: Among the dead is Dilip Bedja, a senior Divisional Committee Member (DVCM) of the National Park Area Committee. Bedja was a high-value target involved in numerous ambushes and IED attacks.
- Recoveries: Following the initial exchange of fire, security personnel recovered two bodies along with sophisticated weaponry, including AK-47 rifles and other military-grade equipment.
- Ongoing Search: Intermittent firing was reported throughout the afternoon as forces continued to scour the difficult terrain. Intelligence suggests that Papa Rao, a top-tier Maoist leader and member of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC), may have been present in the area with a group of roughly two dozen cadres.
Strategic Context: The March 31 Deadline
This operation is part of the final “decisive push” by the Indian government to eliminate Left-Wing Extremism (LWE). Union Home Minister Amit Shah has set a strict deadline of March 31, 2026, for the total eradication of Maoism in India.
Maoists Killed (Today) – 2
Total Killed (2026 so far) – 16
|Total Killed (2025) – 285
Current Focus – South Bastar & Inter-state border belts
Official Statement
“Despite the difficult geographical conditions, our personnel are conducting decisive operations with extreme courage. This strike significantly weakens the operational capacity of the West Bastar Division,” stated Sundarraj P., Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range).
The operation remains active as reinforcements have been deployed to cordon off potential escape routes toward the Odisha and Maharashtra borders.
