Bastar (Chhattisgarh) [India], March 20 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday commended the security forces for their remarkable achievement in neutralizing 30 Naxalites in two separate operations in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur and Kanker districts.
He said that this significant milestone marks a major success in the direction of 'Naxal Mukt Bharat Abhiyan', a campaign aimed at making India Naxal-free.
In two separate encounters with Naxalites in Chhattisgarh, security forces recovered 30 bodies of Naxalites along with a large cache of firearms during search operations, as per a senior official.
Speaking to ANI after two separate encounters with Naxalites in the two districts, IG Sundarraj said, "Operations were conducted today in various areas of the Bastar district. In the Bijapur-Dantewada border region, we have recovered the bodies of 26 Naxalites."
"A large number of AK-47 rifles, as well as automatic and semi-automatic weapons, have also been seized. One personnel of the Bijapur District Reserve Guard (DRG) lost his life during the encounter," he said.
Speaking about the encounter near the Kanker-Narayanpur border, the IG said that four Naxalites were killed in the gunfight, and their bodies were recovered during a search operation. "The search operation is still underway in the area," he added.
One personnel of the Bijapur District Reserve Guard also lost his life during the encounter, police added.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah in a post on X assured that the country would be 'Naxal-free' before March 31, 2026.
"Today, our soldiers have achieved another big success in the direction of 'Naxal Mukt Bharat Abhiyan'", Shah posted on X.
Last week, as many as 17 Naxalites surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, a police officer said. In February, a total of 18 Naxalites were arrested and explosives were recovered from them in an operation carried out by security forces in three different locations in the Bijapur district.
Congress leader Charan Das Mahant expressed support for the government's action against Naxalites but questioned the speedy action of economic development of Bastar region and asked which big industrialists will come for whom "red-carpet is being laid".
"We appreciate the action. It is a good thing, the action is speedy..It is being said that Naxalites are being eliminated to promote economic activities in Bastar. Who is going to carry out economic activities. Which big industrialists will come for whom you are rolling out the red carpet?" asked Mahant, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Chhattisgarh assembly.
Meanwhile, former Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh and senior Congress leader TS Singh Deo attributed the violence in the state to the Naxal groups who refused to abandon violence and arms.
"Such incidents are coming to the fore in the encounter against the people of Naxal ideology due to not abandoning violence and continuously taking up arms," he told ANI.
BJP Brijmohan Agarawal stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and guidance of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, the campaign to end Naxalism in Chhattisgarh was moving in the direction of success.
"Under the leadership of PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and guidance of CM Vishnu Deo Sai, the campaign that is underway in Chhattisgarh to end the naxalism is moving in the direction of success," the BJP MP said, speaking to ANI.
Further, the BJP MP stated that in 13 months, more than 300 Naxals had been killed.
"In the last 13 months, more than 300 Naxalists have been killed. Naxalism is the biggest hindrance in the development of this state and country," he further added.
The joint efforts of the police and central forces have brought development to several Naxal strongholds, strengthening public trust in government initiatives.