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14 Maoists killed, including ₹1 cr bounty commander, in Chhattisgarh encounter

  • 14 Maoists killed in Gariaband district encounter, including ₹1 crore bounty commander Jai Ram, operation ongoing
  • Joint operation by DRG, CRPF, CoBRA, and Odisha SOG seizes large cache of firearms and explosives
  • Maoist casualties rise in Chhattisgarh, with 40 killed in 2025 so far, as government intensifies crackdown

21 Jan 2025

14 Maoists killed, including ₹1 cr bounty commander, in Chhattisgarh encounter

At least 14 Maoists were killed in an ongoing encounter between Maoist insurgents and security forces near the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border in Gariaband district. The operation, which started late on Monday night and continued into Tuesday morning, occurred in the forests under Mainpur police station area. Two women Maoists were among those killed on Monday, and the toll increased to 14 after a fresh exchange of gunfire between the Maoists and security forces on Tuesday. Among the deceased was Jai Ram alias Chalpathy, a Maoist commander carrying a ₹1 crore bounty on his head.

The operation was launched on January 19, based on intelligence reports of Maoist presence in the Kularighat reserve forest in Gariaband, just 5 kilometers from Odisha’s Nuapada district. A joint team of Chhattisgarh’s District Reserve Guard (DRG), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), CoBRA commandos, and Odisha’s Special Operation Group (SOG) is involved in the crackdown. During the operation, security forces recovered a large cache of firearms, ammunition, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), including a self-loading rifle. The security forces confirmed that they are continuing their efforts to clear the area of Maoist insurgents.

A CoBRA commando was injured during the initial phase of the operation on Monday, suffering minor injuries, and was airlifted to Raipur for medical treatment. Authorities stated that the death toll may rise further as intermittent gunfire continues in the region. Security forces are expected to continue their operations in the area, with the Maoist insurgents believed to be heavily entrenched in the forests along the border.

This operation is part of the ongoing anti-Maoist efforts by the central government, which has pledged to eliminate Naxalism by 2026. The government has reiterated this goal after a deadly attack on January 6, where eight jawans of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and a civilian driver were killed when Maoists ambushed their vehicle with an improvised explosive device (IED) in Bijapur district. The Bijapur attack was one of the most significant Maoist strikes in recent years, highlighting the persistent threat posed by Maoist groups in the region.

Chhattisgarh has witnessed an uptick in Maoist-related casualties in 2025, with 40 Maoists killed so far. In 2024, the state recorded 219 Maoist deaths during various operations. The recent operation in Gariaband adds to this tally and is one of the largest anti-Maoist operations in recent months, underscoring the continued efforts of security forces to neutralize insurgent groups in Chhattisgarh and along the state’s borders with Odisha.

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14 Maoists killed, including ₹1 cr bounty commander
14 Maoists killed in Gariaband district encounter, including ₹1 crore bounty commander Jai Ram, operation ongoing





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