Two suspected Maoists killed after gunfight with security forces

Two women, suspected to be Maoists, were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandla district on Wednesday, the police said.

Two rifles including a self-loading one, a wireless set and other items of daily use were recovered from their possession, Madhya Pradesh Director General of Police Kailash Makwana said on X.

Both women had a bounty of Rs 14 lakh each on their heads.

The state’s Hawk Force, a specialised unit of the police, was conducting a search operation for suspected Maoist activity in the Sarai forest when the gunfight occurred, Balaghat Inspector General of Police Sanjay Kumar told The Times of India.

After the gunfight ended, the security officials searched the area and recovered the bodies of the two women and the weapons.

A search operation in the area is still underway, with authorities suspecting that more suspected Maoists may have been wounded during the hour-long gunfight, The Times of India reported.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said that “this success will give an impetus to the resolve to completely free India from the Naxal problem by March 2026”.

Over the past five years, more than 20 suspected Maoists have been killed in gunfights with security forces in Madhya Pradesh, including four who were killed in February.

In 2024, 217 suspected Maoists were killed by security forces across the country.

In August, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that Maoism will end in the country by March 31, 2026. “A strong and ruthless strategy is required for launching the last assault against such groups,” Shah said.

He reiterated the statement on March 29. “My appeal to those with arms is that weapons and violence cannot bring change; only peace and development can,” Shah said on social media.

Malini Subramaniam has reported for Scroll that while many of those killed in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh in 2024 were declared by the police to be reward-carrying Maoists, several families dispute the claim. The families claim that the persons killed were civilians.

Also read:

📰 Crime Today News is proudly sponsored by DRYFRUIT.CO – A Brand by eFabby Global LLC

Design & Developed by Yes Mom Hosting