HM Amit Shah lauds security forces' effort to eliminate 27 Maoists in Chhattisgarh

IANS May 21, 2025 569 views

In a significant victory against Naxalism, Union Home Minister Amit Shah celebrated the neutralization of 27 Maoists in Chhattisgarh, including top leader Basava Raju. The operation in Narayanpur's Abujhmad forest marks a crucial milestone in the government's anti-Naxal strategy. Security forces recovered all 27 bodies and weapons during the encounter, which also resulted in the martyrdom of a District Reserve Guard jawan. Shah reaffirmed the Modi government's commitment to completely eliminate Naxalism by March 31, 2026.

"Today, our security forces have neutralised 27 dreaded Maoists" - Amit Shah
HM Amit Shah lauds security forces' effort to eliminate 27 Maoists in Chhattisgarh
Raipur, May 21: As security forces have neutralised 27 Maoists in Chhattisgarh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has termed it as a “landmark achievement in the battle to eliminate Naxalism.”

Key Points

1

Major breakthrough in anti-Naxalism campaign with 27 militants killed

2

Basava Raju, CPI-Maoist general secretary, among neutralized leaders

3

Modi government aims to eliminate Naxalism by March 2026

Sharing the information on his X handle, Shah said, “Today, in an operation in Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh, our security forces have neutralised 27 dreaded Maoists, including Nambala Keshav Rao, alias Basava Raju, the general secretary of CPI-Maoist, topmost leader, and the backbone of the Naxal movement.”

He further said that this was the first time in three decades of Bharat's battle against Naxalism that a general secretary-ranked leader has been neutralised by our forces. “I applaud our brave security forces and agencies for this major breakthrough. Also glad to share that after completion of Operation Black Forest, 54 Naxalites have been arrested and 84 Naxalites have surrendered in Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Maharashtra.”

HM Shah reaffirmed that the Modi government is resolved to eliminate Naxalism before March 31, 2026.

Speaking to IANS, Prabhat Kumar, Superintendent of Narayanpur, said the encounter had been going on since Tuesday morning.

According to senior police officials, security forces eliminated 27 Maoists in the Abujhmad forest in Narayanpur district on Wednesday morning. All 27 bodies and weapons have been recovered. Basava Raju, who had a bounty of Rs 1.5 crore on his head, was also among the Maoists killed. A DRG (District Reserve Guard) jawan was martyred in the firing.

An encounter is going on at the border of Dantewada, Narayanpur and Bijapur districts. The police had received information that Naxalite politburo member and Naxalite organisation general secretary Basava Raju was present in Boter of Abujhmad. On this basis, the force was dispatched. As soon as the jawans reached Boter of Abujhmad, the Maoists opened fire on them.

State Home Minister Vijay Sharma has described this operation of the security forces as a big success. HM Shah had earlier last month made an appeal in Bastar to Maoists to return to mainstream and partake in development activities. He also clarified that forces will not come back or make any conditional compromise.

Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
This is a significant victory for our security forces! 👏 For decades, Naxalism has been a cancer eating away at our nation's progress. While we mourn the martyrdom of our brave DRG jawan, we must recognize this operation as a turning point. Hope this brings peace to Chhattisgarh's tribal areas.
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Priya M.
While eliminating top Maoist leaders is important, we must also focus on rehabilitation and development in these areas. Many join Naxalism due to poverty and lack of opportunities. The government should ensure that after such operations, development reaches the grassroots level.
A
Arjun S.
Salute to our bravehearts! 🇮🇳 Neutralizing Basava Raju is like cutting the head off the snake. But let's not forget - this fight isn't just about guns. We need to win hearts through education, jobs and infrastructure in these remote areas. Jai Hind!
S
Sunita R.
As someone from Chhattisgarh, I've seen how Naxalism has destroyed lives. But I worry about collateral damage - are we sure all 27 were hardcore Maoists? The government must be transparent about these operations while maintaining security.
V
Vikram J.
Operation Black Forest seems to be yielding results. The surrender of 84 Naxalites is as important as the eliminations. Hope the rehabilitation programs are effective. We need to break the cycle of violence in these regions once and for all.
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Neha P.
The timing is interesting - just after Shah's appeal in Bastar. Shows the government's clear stance: surrender or face consequences. But we must ensure innocent tribals aren't caught in the crossfire. Development and security must go hand in hand.

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Tags:
Amit Shah Chhattisgarh Encounter Maoists Naxalism Security Forces Basava Raju