In Sukma’s Kistaram area, District Reserve Guard (DRG) teams received intelligence on Naxal presence and launched an early morning operation. Around 8 AM, the Naxals opened fire, prompting a retaliatory response in which 12 Naxals were neutralized. Authorities recovered their bodies along with firearms. Search operations continue amid intermittent firing.
Meanwhile, in Bijapur, DRG teams conducted a pre-dawn operation following inputs on Maoist movement. A gunfight ensued from 5 AM, resulting in the deaths of two Naxals. Police confirmed that one was an area committee member with a âš5 lakh reward on his head, while the other carried an âš8 lakh bounty. Superintendent of Police Jitendra Yadav verified the encounter and the recovery of weapons and bodies.
In a major development, Deva Barse, a most-wanted member of the Special Zonal Committee (SZCM), surrendered in Hyderabad along with 20 of his followers. Deva was taken to Mulugu in Telangana before being brought under police custody to Hyderabad. Authorities plan a press briefing at 3 PM to provide further details.
These actions follow a series of successful operations against Naxal cadres. On December 25, six Naxals, including Ganesh Uike, a Central Committee member with a âš1 crore reward, were killed in Odisha’s Kandhamal district. Two of those killed were women. Weapons and bodies were recovered from the encounter sites.
Current estimates indicate that only 200–300 armed Naxals remain in Bastar, scattered in small groups. The Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh (MMC) zone has been virtually eliminated. North Bastar and Maad divisions also report minimal Naxal activity. Security forces now face the challenge of clearing the South Bastar division within the next 90 days, where top leaders like Paparao and Mishir Besra are reportedly in hiding across Jharkhand, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh tri-junctions.
Officials say if five to six senior Naxals are neutralized or surrender in the next three months, it could effectively dismantle Bastar’s front-line Naxal leadership, significantly weakening the insurgency in the region.
