Major DRG operation in Sukma leaves 3 Maoists dead including woman; high alert in forest areas

Sukma (The Uttam Hindu): An encounter between District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel and Maoists is ongoing in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district. Initial reports confirm that three Maoists, including a woman cadre, have been killed so far, while several others are suspected to have been injured in the exchange of fire.

According to police sources, credible intelligence inputs indicated the presence of a large number of Maoists in the Golapalli area. Acting on this information, DRG teams launched a search operation in the Golapalli forest. As security forces reached the area on the morning of December 18, Maoists opened fire, triggering a fierce gun battle from both sides. Intermittent firing has continued since morning.

Officials said the operation is still underway and detailed information will be shared once the mission is completed. With this latest action, the total number of Maoists killed in encounters across Chhattisgarh in 2025 has reached 284. Of these, 255 Maoists were neutralised in seven districts of the Bastar division, including Bijapur, Sukma, and Dantewada. Additionally, 27 Maoists were killed in Gariaband district of the Raipur division, while two were eliminated in Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district of the Durg division.

Earlier, on December 3, security forces had killed 12 Maoists in an encounter along the Dantewada–Bijapur border. Those killed included senior Maoist leader Vella Modium, a Divisional Committee Member (DVCM). However, the operation also claimed the lives of three DRG personnel, while two others were injured. Prior to that, on November 16, 2025, three Maoists were killed during an operation in the Tumalpad forest following intelligence inputs about Maoist movement in the Bhajji–Chintagufa border area.

Security forces have been placed on high alert in Sukma and surrounding regions. Senior officials are closely monitoring the situation, and more details are expected after the operation concludes and official confirmation is issued.