Raipur, March 29: Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma confirmed on Saturday that a prominent Naxal leader, identified as Jagdish, was killed in an encounter in Sukma district. Jagdish, who had a reward of ₹25 lakh on his head, was allegedly involved in key Naxal incidents, including the Jhiram Ghati attack, which claimed the lives of several senior Congress leaders, and the Narayanpur ambush, where numerous security personnel were killed.
This development follows a major operation by Chhattisgarh's security forces in Sukma’s Kerlapal area on Saturday, in which 16 Naxalites were neutralized, and a significant cache of arms and ammunition was seized. Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao emphasized the government’s commitment to the elimination of armed Naxalism, stating, “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, we are determined to eradicate Naxalism from the country by March 2026, and our security forces are working towards that goal with great courage and determination.”
Sukma’s Superintendent of Police, Kiran Chavan, confirmed the recovery of 16 Naxal bodies from the site. He also reported that two security personnel were injured during the operation and are being treated for their wounds. According to Chavan, the forces recovered advanced weapons, including AK-47 rifles, Self-Loading Rifles (SLRs), and INSAS rifles. “This is one of the largest encounters Sukma has witnessed,” Chavan remarked.
The operation began with a joint anti-Naxal effort by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Friday, based on reliable intelligence about Naxal activity in the Kerlapal area. The exchange of fire continued through the morning hours of Saturday, March 29. Security forces are currently conducting thorough searches in the area and the nearby forested region.
Sukma, located in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar division, has long been a hotspot for Naxal insurgency, with frequent attacks targeting security forces and civilians.
