In a decisive blow to left-wing extremism, Security Forces gunned down ten Maoists, including the most wanted Central Committee member Manoj alias Modem Balakrishna, during a fierce encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband district on Thursday. The elimination of Balakrishna, who carried a reward of Rs 1 crore, is seen as a crippling setback to the CPI (Maoist)’s Odisha State Committee operations. Confirming the development, Superintendent of Police (SP) Gariaband Nikhil Rakhecha told the media persons that the gun battle erupted in the dense forests under Mainpur police station limits when joint teams of Special Task Force (STF), CoBRA battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), E-30 unit and district police launched an anti-Maoist operation based on specific intelligence inputs.

 

He said the operation was launched after credible information indicated the movement of top Maoist leaders in the region. According to SP Rakhecha, the encounter was intense and prolonged, with intermittent exchange of fire continuing for hours. “Ten Maoists, including senior cadres, have been neutralised. Among the slain is Central Committee member Manoj alias Modem Balakrishna, a notorious figure long involved in orchestrating major attacks in Odisha and Chhattisgarh. His elimination marks a serious disruption of Maoist command in the border belt,” the SP said. Highly-placed sources in the Special Intelligence Branch (SIB) at Police Headquarters (PHQ), Nava Raipur, told ‘The Hitavada’ that Balakrishna, also known by his aliases Balanna, Ramachander and Bhaskar, had been part of the Maoist movement since the early 1980s and had risen to become secretary of the Odisha State Committee.

 

They confirmed that he carried a bounty of Rs 1 crore for his role in a string of heinous crimes, including killings of security personnel, looting of arms, and planning of ambushes in multiple states. The sources underlined that the encounter was the outcome of sustained coordination between state police, CRPF and elite CoBRA units operating deep inside hostile terrain. SIB sources further assessed that the Gariaband forests have long remained a Maoist stronghold, often used as a corridor for movement between Chhattisgarh and Odisha. They maintained that the latest operation demonstrates the capability of security forces to penetrate these zones and mount decisive offensives. “Such actions send a clear message that Maoist leadership can no longer operate with impunity in these areas,” they emphasised. According to the SIB, with this action a total of 241 Maoists have been killed in encounters across Chhattisgarh this year. Of these, 212 were eliminated in Bastar division, 27 in Gariaband district under Raipur division, and two in Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district in Durg division.

 

Earlier in January, 16 Maoists were killed in the same Mainpur area during a separate operation. Last year, security forces had neutralised 219 Maoists in various parts of the state. The SIB sources also underlined that the latest encounter is not only significant in numbers but also in the stature of the slain leaders. “The death of Balakrishna deprives the Maoist organisation of a strategic planner and seasoned commander. It will severely affect their operational chain and weaken morale of their cadres,” they said, adding that search operations are still continuing in the forests to recover arms and incriminating materials. Senior PHQ officials, meanwhile, reiterated that Gariaband police, working in close coordination with state and central forces, remain committed to dismantling Maoist networks. “The sacrifice and resolve of security personnel in this operation symbolises the State’s determination to root out extremism and restore peace in the region,” they concluded. Meanwhile, in another encounter, a Maoist carrying a bounty of Rs 8 lakh was gunned down by Security Forces in the forested hills of Gedabeda under Partapur police station limits in Kanker district.

 

The slain cadre, identified as Masa, was a member of PLGA Military Company No- 05. After the gun battle, security forces launched a search and recovered a .303 rifle, a walkie-talkie set and other Maoist materials from the spot. Senior Superintendent of Police IK Elesela said a joint team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Border Security Force (BSF) had been conducting a search operation in the Kanker–Narayanpur border forests since September 7. On September 9, the team came under fire in Gedabeda, leading to the encounter. The slain Maoist was later confirmed to be Masa of PLGA Military Company No- 05, against whom a reward of Rs 8 lakh had been announced. The encounter and recoveries were confirmed by Bastar Range IGP Sundarraj P, Kanker Range DIG Amit Tukaram Kamle, BSF Sector Kanhargaon (Bhanupatappur) DIG Vipul Mohan Bala and Kanker SSP I K Elesela. Bastar Range IGP Sundarraj P said that despite difficult terrain and adverse weather, police and security forces in Bastar remain committed to protecting lives and property, in line with the vision of the Union and State governments and the aspirations of the people. He called upon the Maoist cadres to give up violence and join the mainstream under the government’s rehabilitation policy, cautioning that those continuing unlawful activities would face stern consequences. 

 

 

TWO personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were injured on Thursday morning when they came under the impact of a pressure Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by extremists. The incident took place when a patrol party of the 195th Battalion, CRPF, was carrying out area domination and demining exercises as part of an anti-Naxal operation in a Maoist-hit area under Malewahi police station limits of the district. According to police sources, the CRPF team had set out from the battalion headquarters towards Satdhar and Malewahi as part of a routine operation to sanitise the area. At around 10:30 am, as the party moved beyond the Satdhar bridge, the explosive device planted by Maoists went off, injuring Inspector Diwan Singh Gurjar and Constable Alam Munesh. Fellow personnel immediately administered first aid and evacuated the injured from the spot. They were shifted to a higher medical centre for advanced treatment. Senior officials confirmed that both are out of danger and their condition is stable. 

 

 

IN a major boost to the state’s anti-Naxal Operation, 16 Maoists from insurgency-hit pockets of Narayanpur district laid down arms in front of Superintendent of Police (SP) Robinson Gudiya and joined the mainstream. The surrendering group included members of the Jantana Sarkar, Deputy Commander of the Panchayat Militia, Panchayat Sarkar functionaries, Panchayat Militia cadres, and the head of the Justice Wing. With this development, the number of Maoists who have surrendered in 2025 has touched 164, covering both senior and junior ranks. Each surrendered cadre was provided an incentive of Rs 50,000 and assured benefits under the Chhattisgarh Naxal Elimination Policy. During interrogation, the Maoists disclosed that senior leaders were misleading tribals with false promises of justice and equality while exploiting them to retain control over Abujhmad. They also admitted that women cadres faced physical and mental harassment, with some being treated as personal slaves under the guise of relocation. Although most belonged to the lower rung, officials said they played vital roles in sustaining the Maoist network. Their tasks included supplying rations, medicines, and arms, gathering intelligence on IED placements and troop movements, and conducting reconnaissance.

 

“They were essentially sleeper cells, indirectly supporting armed operations,” a senior officer said. Superintendent of Police Robinson Gudiya said: “Our objective is to protect tribals in remote Abujhmad from Maoist ideology and bring them into the mainstream. We appeal to remaining cadres to reject misleading propaganda and join the government’s rehabilitation policy.” Bastar Range Inspector General of Police Sundarraj P noted that 2025 has seen major setbacks for Maoists. “The banned CPI (Maoist) has no option but to surrender. We urge remaining cadres to abandon violence and integrate with society,” he added. The surrendered Maoists were identified as Lachchu Podyam alias Manu (44), Kesa (38), Munna Hemla (40), Vanja Mohanda (40), Juru Pallo (36), Masu Mohanda (43), Lalu Poyam (35), Rainu Mohanda (32), Jururam Mohanda (33), Budhram Mohanda (29), Chinna Manji (34), Kumma Manji (30), Bodi Mohanda (30), Birju Mohanda (38), Budhu Majji (33) and Kosa Mohanda (29). The mass surrender marks a significant step forward in the state’s strategy to curb Left-Wing Extremism and push development in insurgency-affected regions.