Bijapur, Chhattisgarh: At least five more bodies of suspected Maoists — including two women — were recovered on Saturday morning from the dense jungles of Indravati National Park, bringing the death toll to seven in a large-scale anti-Maoist operation in Bijapur district.

This crackdown follows Thursday’s high-profile encounters in which security forces gunned down Sudhakar, a senior Central Committee member of the banned CPI (Maoist), and Mailarapu Adelu alias Bhaskar, Telangana State Committee member and secretary of the Mancherial-Komarambheem Division. Bhaskar had a bounty of ₹45 lakh on his head.

The police said operations escalated from Thursday in Maoist-dominated zones along the Telangana–Chhattisgarh border, with combing and area domination efforts intensifying day and night. Forces recovered arms, two AK-47 rifles, explosives, and other Maoist belongings from the site.

The five additional bodies were found between Friday night and Saturday morning. Identities are being verified, but all are believed to be active Maoist cadres.

Minor injuries were reported among the personnel — including snake bites, bee stings, and dehydration — but all affected are stable.

While police insist the operation follows legal protocols, civil rights groups in Telangana have raised serious allegations, claiming some leaders were detained and later killed in staged encounters. The police have dismissed these accusations, calling them baseless and affirming adherence to due process.

The mission continues with forces scouring the forest floor in a sustained offensive against Maoist insurgency in one of India’s most volatile red zones.