Security forces in Chhattisgarh have achieved a major success by neutralising 18 Naxalites, including a high-ranking commander, during an encounter in Bijapur district. The intense firefight erupted on Wednesday in the remote forest regions straddling Bijapur and Dantewada districts as part of an ongoing anti-insurgency operation. Authorities confirmed the grim tally of 18 Naxalite fatalities on Thursday, an increase from initial assessments. The neutralised rebels included Modiyam Vella, a commander of PLGA’s company number 2, notorious for orchestrating attacks like the 2020 Minpa ambush that resulted in the deaths of 17 security personnel. Vella had a bounty of Rs 8 lakh on his head. A significant haul of weaponry, including INSAS and AK-47 rifles, was recovered from the encounter site. The operation, while successful against the insurgents, resulted in the tragic loss of three DRG personnel and injuries to two others. Chhattisgarh has seen 275 Naxalites neutralised this year, with 246 in the Bastar region alone, while 23 security personnel have been martyred.

