CHHATTISGARH: In Chhattisgarh's Odisha border, 14 Naxals were killed in an encounter with Chhattisgarh police, officials confirmed on Monday, January 20.

The police also reported that one of the Naxal members involved, who had a reward of one crore rupees on his head, was among those killed in the clash.

The police added that the operation is ongoing, and further information are awaited on the matter.

Earlier this month, on January 17, two Border Security Force (BSF) jawans were injured when Naxals triggered an improvised explosive device (IED) in Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh.

The incident took place in the morning when a BSF road-opening team was deployed between Camp Garpa and Garpa village, according to a police official. Narayanpur Superintendent of Police, Prabhat Kumar, confirmed the attack, and more information is expected to be provided later.

On January 16, two CRPF jawans were injured in another IED blast set by Naxals near Putkel village in Bijapur district.

In a separate operation on January 12, five Naxalites, including two women, were killed in a clash with security forces in Bijapur. A range of weapons, explosives, and Naxal-related materials, such as a 12-bore rifle, an SLR rifle, and a BGL launcher, were recovered from the forest area near the National Park in Bijapur.

Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah made a bold promise to rid the nation of Naxalism by March 31, 2026. Our brave security forces are working tirelessly to make this vision a reality, I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to these forces for their outstanding achievement in Gariaband. Eradicating Naxalism is crucial for the state's development, and it's reassuring to see our security forces making strides in this direction.