Maoist with ₹1 crore bounty among 14 killed; Amit Shah says ‘Naxalism breathing its last’
Amit Shah asserted the Narendra Modi government's resolve for a Maoist-free India.
Union home minister Amit Shah on Tuesday termed the encounter along Chhattisgarh-Odisha border where 14 Maoists, including a top leader of the CPI (Maoists) who was carrying a reward of ₹1 crore were killed, as “another mighty blow to Naxalism”.

The joint operation was carried out by central and state police forces.
Amit Shah asserted the Narendra Modi government's resolve for a Maoist-free India and the joint efforts of the security forces to eliminate the menace from the country.
Chhattisgarh's Gariaband district superintendent of police Nikhil Rakhecha said of the deceased, one has been identified as Jairam alias Chalpati, a central committee member of the CPI (Maoist), who was carrying a bounty of ₹1 crore.
The identity of the remaining cadres was yet to be ascertained.
"Another mighty blow to Naxalism. Our security forces achieved major success towards building a Naxal-free Bharat. The CRPF, SoG Odisha, and Chhattisgarh Police neutralised 14 Naxalites in a joint operation along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border. With our resolve for a Naxal-free India and the joint efforts of our security forces, Naxalism is breathing its last today," Shah wrote on X.
Giving details of the incident, police said two women Maoists were killed during a joint operation on Monday along the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border. A large cache of firearms, ammunition and IEDs, including a self-loading rifle, were recovered from the encounter site.
A fresh exchange of firing took place late Monday night and it continued till early hours of Tuesday in a forest under the Mainpur police station areas (Chhattisgarh) along the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border, in which 12 more Naxalites were gunned down.
The operation comes after the state's anti-Maoist campaign had a number of victories. Approximately 40 Maoists have already been killed in several encounter this year.
200 Maoists killed in 2024
More than 200 Maoists, mostly from the Bastar area, were slain in the state in 2024 alone. Security forces have arrested more than 800 Maoists, while about 800 have surrendered. However, in the last year, the war has claimed the lives of 65 civilians and 18 security officers.
In an effort to further remove Maoist strongholds in the area, a large search and rescue operation is still underway.
