In a decisive start to the new year, security forces in Chhattisgarh have neutralised 14 Maoists across two fierce encounters, delivering a major blow to the Konta Area Committee and avenging the 2025 killing of a senior police officer.
Security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar division neutralised 14 Maoists in two separate gunfights Saturday (January 3, 2026). The operations, carried out by the District Reserve Guard in the Sukma and Bijapur districts, mark the first major counter-insurgency success of 2026. Among the dead is Sachin Mangdu, a high-ranking Divisional Committee Member and the alleged mastermind behind a 2024 IED blast that killed a senior police official.
The coordinated operations were launched based on specific intelligence about the presence of armed cadres in the dense southern forests of Bastar.
- The Sukma Encounter: The largest engagement happened near the Kistaram area. After an exchange of fire that lasted several hours, security forces recovered the bodies of 12 Maoists. Officials said that with this strike, the entire armed strength of the “Konta Area Committee” has effectively been eliminated.
- The Bijapur Encounter: A separate gunfight broke out around 5:00 AM in the Gaganpalli forest area. DRG teams recovered the bodies of two Maoists and seized several weapons from the site.
- Weaponry Seized: The recovery included a significant cache of high-grade firearms: AK-47s, INSAS rifles, and SLR rifles, along with IED materials and “organizational documents.”
- Justice Served: Police confirmed the slain DVCM Sachin Mangdu was the prime suspect in the June 2025 killing of Additional SP Akash Rao Giripunje. All commanders involved in that specific ambush are now believed to have been neutralised.
“This is a major success for our forces. By neutralising 14 cadres, including top leadership like Mangdu, we have dismantled the command structure in the South Bastar region. Our search operations remain ongoing to ensure no remnants remain,” P. Sundarraj, IG Bastar Range, said.
“The operation has reached a critical stage. For the safety of our jawans, we cannot share further operational specifics at this time, but the area is being thoroughly combed,” Sukma SP Kiran Chavan added.
The 2026 crackdown follows a “historic” 2025 for Chhattisgarh, during which over 280 Maoists were killed and hundreds more surrendered. These operations align with the Union Home Ministry’s stated goal of completely wiping out Left-Wing Extremism from India by March 31, 2026. The success in Sukma is particularly important as the area served as a transit point between Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.
While the encounters mark a significant victory, security forces remain on high alert. At the same time, a major surrender event is scheduled in Telangana, where top PLGA commanders are expected to lay down their arms. Combing operations in the Sukma-Bijapur border region are expected to continue through the weekend to rule out any retaliatory regrouping.
Leave a comment