On January 20, 2025, two women Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Gariaband district, Chhattisgarh. The operation involved a joint team comprising personnel from the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the elite Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), and the Special Operation Group (SOG) from Odisha.

This encounter occurred in a forest area under Mainpur police station, following intelligence inputs regarding the presence of Naxalites in the region.

During the gunfight, a CoBRA commando sustained minor injuries and was airlifted to Raipur for treatment; his condition is reported to be stable. The firefight began in the morning and continued intermittently throughout the day, with the bodies of the two deceased women Naxalites recovered from the scene.

This incident marks a continuation of intensified operations against Naxalite groups in Chhattisgarh, with a total of 28 Naxalites reported killed in various encounters within the state so far this year.

PTI