A significant anti-Naxal operation in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district has resulted in the elimination of 18 Maoists. The intense gun battle unfolded in the forested region bordering Bijapur and Dantewada districts. Security forces, engaged in a planned operation, encountered a heavily armed Naxalite group. Initially, 12 bodies were recovered, with an additional six found subsequently, bringing the total to 18 fatalities. Among the neutralized insurgents was Modiyam Vella, a prominent commander of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) Company No. 2. Vella, who carried a reward of Rs 8 lakh, was implicated in several deadly attacks, including the 2020 Minpa ambush that claimed the lives of 17 security personnel. The operation also yielded a substantial recovery of arms and ammunition, including AK-47 and INSAS rifles. Tragically, the success came at a cost, with three District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel losing their lives and two others sustaining injuries during the fierce exchange of fire. This year’s anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh have seen 275 Maoists neutralized, while 23 security personnel have been martyred.
