2 Maoists died in a gunfight with security forces in Bijapur district near the Chhattisgarh–Telangana border on Thursday (29 January) morning, as troops recovered their bodies, weapons and defused two powerful improvised explosive devices during search operations.
The encounter began around 7 am in the forest area under the Pamed police station limits, where security forces launched a search operation after receiving specific inputs about Maoist presence in the southern part of Bijapur district. During the operation, Maoists opened fire on the advancing troops, leading to intermittent exchanges of gunfire.
Officials confirmed that the District Reserve Guard (DRG) team responded and continued the operation in the forest area. After the exchange, personnel recovered the bodies of two Maoists from the encounter site. The forces also seized an AK-47 rifle, a 9mm pistol and ammunition from the spot. Bijapur police confirmed the deaths and said the search operation remained underway.
Police officials said Maoist battalions remained active along the border regions of Bijapur, Sukma and Telangana. They noted higher Maoist movement in the Pamed police station area, where security forces currently carried out intensive operations. The encounter took place in the same region as troops continued combing the forest to track other members of the group.
Authorities stated that the operation continued and that they could not disclose details related to the exact location of the encounter, the number of personnel involved or other sensitive information to ensure the safety of the forces on the ground.
Separately, security forces detected and defused two powerful IEDs planted by Maoists in the forest near Lankapalli village in Bijapur district. The incident occurred under the Ilmidi police station area during a search operation on Thursday morning.
According to police, a joint team of DRG Bijapur, the 9th battalion of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force and the Bomb Disposal Squad set out on a search operation in the Ilmidi–Lankapalli area on 29 January. During demining along an unpaved road near Lankapalli, the team detected two IEDs weighing between 20 and 30 kilograms each.
Investigators said Maoists planted the devices in the middle of the road using a command switch system, with the intention of targeting large vehicles. After receiving the alert, the bomb disposal team reached the spot and safely defused both devices on site, preventing potential casualties.
Earlier, on 25 January, a day before Republic Day, a series of six IED blasts occurred on the Karregutta hill in Bijapur district. The explosions injured 11 personnel of the District Reserve Guard who were operating in the area.
In another incident in the same region a few days earlier, an IED blast injured a local villager identified as Raju Modium. He suffered serious injuries and continues to receive treatment at the district hospital, police said.
