Bijapur, Chhattisgarh: A fierce encounter is underway between Indian security forces and Naxalites inside the dense stretches of Indravati National Park in the Bijapur district, part of the sensitive Bastar Division. The confrontation involves joint operations by the District Reserve Guard (DRG), COBRA commandos, and the State Task Force (STF).

Bijapur SP Jitendra Yadav confirmed the ongoing exchange of fire and stated that intermittent gunshots are being reported from the forest. Though there are unverified reports of one Naxalite being neutralized and automatic weapons recovered, the police have refrained from issuing official confirmation until the troops return from the operation site.

This is the latest in a series of aggressive anti-Naxal actions following the elimination of top Maoist leader Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavaraj on May 21 in Abujhmarh, a major blow to the insurgent leadership. Since then, the security forces’ morale has surged, with continuous offensives in Bastar, including driving Naxalites out of their long-time stronghold in the Karregutta hills.

In response to Basavaraj’s death, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chhattisgarh Deputy CM Vijay Sharma declared a firm deadline — Naxalism will be wiped out by March 31, 2026. As the clock ticks toward that goal, forward base camps are being set up deep in the jungles to dismantle insurgent dominance and reclaim territory.