New Delhi: At least nine Maoists, including six women, were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Bastar region of Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, taking the total number of killings in the state this year to an all-time high of 154 deaths (in graphics). The gunfight broke out at around 10.30 am in the forests along the border of Dantewada and Bijapur districts when a joint team of security forces was out on an anti-Maoist operation, said inspector general of police, Bastar range, Sundarraj P.

Personnel belonging to the District Reserve Guard and the Central Reserve Police Force were involved in the operation, which was launched based on inputs about the presence of Maoists belonging to its west Bastar division unit, according to CRPF officials. The intermittent exchange of fire lasted for a long time, following which bodies of nine Maoists in 'uniform' were recovered from the spot, they added. A huge cache of weapons was also seized from the encounter site.

Union home minister Amit Shah, during his three-day visit last month, had said that the government is committed to completely eradicating Maoism from the country before March 2026. Shah has also sought the creation of a special investigation agency in states for probe and prosecution on the lines of National Investigation Agency and has urged Chhattisgarh government to come up with a new surrender-cum-rehabilitation policy.

In June this year, eight Maoists were killed in an encounter in the forests of Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district. The DRG, special task forces and Indo-Tibetan Border Police's 53rd Battalion were involved in the operation. On May 23, seven Maoists were killed in an encounter with security personnel in a forest on Narayanpur-Bijapur inter-district border. On May 10, around 12 Maoists were killed in an encounter in Bijapur district. Ten Maoists, including three women, were killed in an encounter with security personnel in a forest along the border of Narayanpur and Kanker districts on April 30.

Before that, 29 Maoists were gunned down in an encounter with security forces in the state's Kanker district on April 16, according to police. On March 27 this year, six Maoists, including two women cadres, were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district.

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