Kawardha (Chhattisgarh) [India], May 21 (ANI): Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma on Wednesday called it a huge accomplishment following the killing of 27 Naxals, including top CPI-Maoist leader and General Secretary Basavaraju, in an ongoing operation in the Narayanpur-Abujmarh region.

Sharma added that the people of Bastar want the 'Red Terror' to end and that 80 per cent of Naxal-related issues in the region have already been resolved.

Speaking to reporters, Chhattisgarh Deputy CM Vijay Sharma said, 'An encounter broke out in an over 50-hour-long search operation in the area between Bijapur-Narayanpur, near Abujhmad and Indravati National Park. Our jawans retaliated upon being fired at by Naxals. Bodies of 27 naxals have been recovered. A large cache of arms and ammunition has been received...This is a huge accomplishment...One jawan was injured, but he is out of danger. People of Bastar want the 'Red Terror' to end in Bastar...80% of these issues have ended in Bastar...'

Earlier, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai reaffirmed the Centre's commitment to ending Naxalism by March 31, 2026, as pledged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Following the 27 Naxals, including top CPI-Maoist leader and General Secretary Basavaraju, were killed in an ongoing operation in the Narayanpur-Abujmarh region.

Speaking to the mediapersons, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said, 'Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have pledged to bring an end to naxalism by 31 March 2026... An operation is currently underway in the Narayanpur-Abujmarh area. 27 naxals have been killed. Many of those killed have a bounty on them. One big name, a General Secretary, Basava Raju Rao, has also been killed by our jawans.'

Earlier today, an encounter broke out between security forces and Naxals in the forest area of Abujhmad in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district.

Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao has asserted that security forces are working 'diligently' to make Bastar Naxal-free by March 2026.

'After the formation of our government in the state, a programme is running to make Bastar Naxal-free. In Narayanpur, more than two dozen Naxalites have been killed in an encounter. Our security forces are working diligently so that by March 2026, Bastar becomes Naxal-free,' Arun Sao told ANI.

Deputy CM confirmed that one soldier was injured during the encounter.

Security forces conducted 'Operation Black Forest' to break the backbone of Naxals near Karreguttalu Hill (KGH) at the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border. (ANI)