RAIPUR, Jan 17, (V7N) – In a significant blow to India’s long-running Maoist insurgency, security forces gunned down at least 12 Maoist rebels during a fierce gunfight in the dense forests of Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh.

The clash erupted on Thursday as Indian forces intensified operations against the rebels, who have waged a violent campaign for decades, claiming to fight for the rights of marginalized Indigenous communities.

Senior police official Sundarraj P confirmed the fatalities, stating, “We have received information of the killing of 12 Maoists in encounters with the security forces.”

This latest operation adds to the mounting pressure on the Maoists, with over 200 rebels reportedly killed in the past year—most in Chhattisgarh—as New Delhi steps up its counterinsurgency campaign.

Home Minister Amit Shah previously vowed to dismantle the Maoist movement by 2026, signaling an aggressive strategy to end the insurgency that has claimed more than 10,000 lives.

The insurgents have launched several deadly attacks on security forces over the years. Just weeks ago, a roadside bomb killed nine Indian troops, followed by another ambush that left five rebels dead and two police officers injured.

One of the deadliest attacks occurred in 2021 when 22 security personnel were killed in a Maoist ambush. In 2019, a bomb attack blamed on the Maoists claimed the lives of 16 commandos in Maharashtra ahead of national elections.

This latest operation underscores the Indian government’s resolve to crush the insurgency and restore security in the affected regions.