Key Highlights:
- Security forces eliminated 10 Maoists with collective bounty of Rs 5.22 crore in Gariaband district operation
- Central Committee member Modem Balkrishna, carrying Rs 1 crore reward, among high-profile casualties
- Operation coincides with surrender of 16 Maoist cadres in neighboring Narayanpur district
Initial Context: Major Security Breakthrough in Anti-Naxal Operations
The Chhattisgarh Maoist encounter on September 11, 2025, represents one of the most significant tactical victories in India’s ongoing counter-insurgency campaign, eliminating 10 high-ranking operatives including Central Committee member Modem Balkrishna alias Manoj. The Chhattisgarh Maoist encounter unfolded in the dense forests of Rajadera-Matal hills under Mainpur police station limits, approximately 180 kilometers from state capital Raipur. Joint teams comprising Special Task Force (STF), CoBRA commandos, and District Reserve Guards executed this precision operation based on actionable intelligence regarding senior Maoist movement patterns.
#ChhattisgarhMaoistEncounter
— BN Adhikari (@AdhikariBN) September 12, 2025
In #Chhattisgarh, ten Maoists have been killed in an encounter with security forces, Thursday. Among those killed is a commander of the Maoist organisation.
Security forces had received information about the presence of a large number of Maoists in… pic.twitter.com/CRfSJgkQFK
This Chhattisgarh Maoist encounter occurred simultaneously with remarkable developments in Narayanpur district, where 16 Maoist cadres voluntarily surrendered, citing disillusionment with organizational ideology and internal conflicts. The dual success underscores mounting pressure on Maoist networks and reflects the comprehensive impact of sustained security operations across affected regions. Union Home Minister Amit Shah characterized the Chhattisgarh Maoist encounter as another major milestone toward achieving complete red terror elimination by March 31, 2026.
High-Profile Target Elimination and Operational Details
- Central Committee member Modem Balkrishna neutralized with Rs 1 crore bounty
- Two Odisha State Committee members among casualties disrupting inter-state coordination
The Chhattisgarh Maoist encounter resulted in the elimination of several critical leadership figures, with Modem Balkrishna representing the most significant casualty in terms of organizational hierarchy. Balkrishna, also known by aliases Manoj, Bhaskar, Balanna, and Ramachander, had joined the Maoist movement in the 1980s and faced 18 criminal cases including murders of former Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Alimineti Madhava Reddy and DIG K S Vyas. His elimination marks a substantial blow to Maoist command structure, as Central Committee members constitute the apex decision-making tier within the banned organization.
Security forces recovered 10 sophisticated weapons from the Chhattisgarh Maoist encounter site, including AK-47 assault rifles, Self-Loading Rifles (SLRs), and INSAS automatic weapons. Two Odisha State Committee members, identified as Pramod alias Pandu (58) and Vimal alias Manganna, were also neutralized during the operation, significantly disrupting inter-state Maoist coordination networks. Additional Director General of Police (Naxal operations) Vivekanand Sinha emphasized that eliminating such senior operatives would substantially impact Maoist activities across Gariaband, Dhamtari, and neighboring districts.
The Chhattisgarh Maoist encounter represents part of broader security achievements, with forces having previously eliminated the organization’s general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao and three Central Committee members during recent operations. This systematic targeting of leadership cadres has critically weakened Maoist command structures and operational capabilities across affected regions.
Surrender Movement Demonstrates Growing Organizational Disillusionment
- 16 Maoist cadres surrender citing exploitation by senior leadership
- Lower-rung operatives reveal harsh realities of organizational hierarchy
The Chhattisgarh Maoist encounter was accompanied by significant surrenders in Narayanpur district, where 16 cadres voluntarily turned themselves in before senior police officials. These surrendered operatives belonged to various organizational units including Janatana Sarkar, Chetna Natya Mandli, and panchayat militia wings, citing growing disillusionment with Maoist ideology and increasing internal differences within the banned outfit. Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Robinson Guria reported that despite their lower hierarchical positions, these cadres played crucial roles in sustaining insurgency operations through logistical support and intelligence gathering.
The surrendered Maoists revealed disturbing details about organizational exploitation, describing how top leaders treat lower cadres as expendable resources under false promises of ideological advancement. They highlighted severe gender-based discrimination, noting that women Maoists face even worse conditions within the organizational structure, including systematic exploitation and denial of basic rights. These revelations align with intelligence assessments indicating that Maoist leadership strategically exploits marginalized communities while maintaining privileged positions for senior operatives.
During questioning, the surrendered cadres described their extensive support roles, including supplying essential items to armed groups without compensation, transporting weapons and explosives across difficult terrain, planting improvised explosive devices, and gathering intelligence on security force movements. Each surrendered operative received Rs 50,000 rehabilitation assistance and will undergo systematic reintegration programs designed to facilitate mainstream social and economic participation.
Strategic Impact on National Counter-Insurgency Campaign
- Total of 243 Maoists neutralized in Chhattisgarh during 2025
- Systematic progress toward March 2026 Naxal elimination target
The Chhattisgarh Maoist encounter contributes to remarkable statistical achievements in counter-insurgency operations, bringing the total number of Maoists neutralized in the state during 2025 to 243, including 214 eliminated in Bastar division alone. This figure represents substantial progress toward the central government’s declared objective of achieving complete Naxal elimination by March 31, 2026, as announced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The systematic reduction in Maoist operational capacity reflects the effectiveness of sustained security pressure combined with comprehensive development initiatives in affected regions.
According to Ministry of Home Affairs data, Left Wing Extremism-related violence incidents have decreased by 81% from their peak in 2010, dropping from 1,936 incidents to 374 in 2024. Simultaneously, total casualties have reduced by 85% during the same period, declining from 1,005 deaths in 2010 to 150 in 2024. These statistics demonstrate the comprehensive impact of India’s multi-pronged counter-insurgency strategy across affected states.
Chhattisgarh Anti-Maoist Operations 2025: Distribution of Maoist casualties across different administrative divisions
The Chhattisgarh Maoist encounter occurs within the context of broader operational successes, including the landmark Operation Black Forest that eliminated 31 Maoist operatives, including general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao, in the Karreguttalu Hills. Between January 2024 and 2025, security forces have achieved remarkable results with 435 Maoist operatives neutralized, 1,457 surrenders, and 1,469 apprehensions across affected regions.
| Counter-Insurgency Statistics (2024-2025) | Numbers |
|---|---|
| Maoists Neutralized | 435 |
| Voluntary Surrenders | 1,457 |
| Total Apprehensions | 1,469 |
| Women Operatives Eliminated | 48 |
| LWE-Affected Districts (Current) | 38 |
| Most-Affected Districts | 6 |
The Chhattisgarh Maoist encounter reflects improved inter-agency coordination, with joint operations involving Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Border Security Force (BSF), and state police forces demonstrating enhanced operational integration and intelligence sharing capabilities.
Final Perspective: Accelerating Momentum Toward Naxal-Free India
The Chhattisgarh Maoist encounter represents more than tactical success, symbolizing the systematic dismantling of decades-old insurgency networks through coordinated security pressure and socio-economic development initiatives. The elimination of high-ranking operatives like Central Committee member Modem Balkrishna, combined with voluntary surrenders citing ideological disillusionment, demonstrates the multifaceted impact of India’s comprehensive counter-insurgency strategy. These developments occur within the broader context of substantial territorial gains, with LWE-affected districts reduced from 126 in 2014 to just 38 currently.
The Chhattisgarh Maoist encounter underscores the effectiveness of coordinated multi-agency operations, while simultaneous surrenders reflect growing recognition among ground-level operatives about the futility of violent resistance and exploitation by senior leadership. As India approaches the March 2026 deadline for complete Naxal elimination, such operations provide concrete evidence of accelerating progress toward this ambitious national security objective. The combination of tactical elimination and voluntary surrenders suggests that sustained pressure, combined with rehabilitation opportunities, continues to erode Maoist operational capabilities and ideological appeal across affected regions, bringing the nation closer to achieving lasting peace in these historically troubled areas.
