Chhattisgarh’s fight against Maoism notched another win as forces gunned down six Naxals, including four female fighters, in a high-stakes showdown in Bijapur’s dense National Park forests straddling Bhopalpatnam and Farsegarh jurisdictions.
The proactive sweep was triggered by tips on senior cadre Dilip Bendza’s location. Teams from DGR units, STF, and CRPF 214 braved the wilderness, only to face aggressive resistance that sparked the prolonged exchange.
Six corpses were retrieved, headlined by bounty-laden Dilip Bendza of the Area Committee, plus ACM Madvi Kosa, Palo Podium, Lakhi Madkam, Juglo Banjam, and Radha Metta—collective rewards totaling Rs 35 lakh. Forces confiscated a deadly inventory: dual AK-47s, rifles, carbine, grenade launcher, bombs, ammo dumps, comms gear, and insurgent docs.
With 135 cases shadowing him, Bendza’s demise disrupts Maoist networks profoundly, per SSP Dr. Jitendra Yadav. Jawans overcame perils including beast attacks on two members, now safely treated.
Cumulative victories since 2024: 229 slain, 1,126 nabbed, 876 reformed. 2025 saw 163 down, 2026 adds eight.
Bastar IG Sundarraj P. hailed intel precision and public backing for crippling the red menace, imploring holdouts to surrender amid a surge toward normalcy.