Narayanpur (Chhattisgarh) [India], May 21 (ANI): The Inspector General (IG) of Bastar Range in Chhattisgarh, P Sundarraj, on Wednesday said that the joint operation that killed 27 naxals, including CPI-M General Secretary Basavaraju, was carried out by District Reserve Guard (DRG) teams from Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur, and Kondagaon.

Sundarraj further added that the encounter took place in the Abujmarh area, a known Naxal stronghold, following intelligence inputs about the presence of senior Maoist leaders.

Speaking to ANI, IG Bastar P Sundarraj said, 'In the border area of Bijapur, Narayanpur and Dantewada, in the Abujmarh area, we had information of the presence of banned and illegal organisation CPI-M's General Secretary Basavaraju alias BR Dada and other senior cadres of the organisation. DRG teams of Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur and Kondagaon were dispatched. During the operation, since 7-8 am this morning, our DRG teams had an encounter with Naxalites quite a number of times. After the encounter, during a search of the area, bodies of 27 naxals were recovered, including the body of CPI-M General Secretary Basavaraju.'

He said that AK-47 rifles, SLR-INSAS carbines, and other arms and ammunition in heavy numbers were recovered. One DRG jawan was martyred and several others were injured in the operation, which also led to the recovery of a large cache of arms and ammunition.

'AK-47 rifles, SLR-INSAS carbines, and other arms and ammunition in heavy numbers were recovered. One DRG jawan was martyred in the operation. The injured jawans are undergoing treatment and are out of danger. Search operation at the encounter site is ongoing,' Sundarraj said.

Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that security forces have neutralised 27 dreaded Maoists, including Nambala Keshav Rao, alias Basavaraju, General Secretary of CPI-Maoist, in an operation in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district and lauded the major breakthrough.

In a post on X, he said that this is the first time in three decades of India's battle against Naxalism that a General Secretary-ranked leader has been neutralised by the security forces.

Noting that Basavaraju was the backbone of the Naxal movement, Amit Shah said that 54 Naxalites have been arrested and that 84 Naxalites have surrendered in Chhattisgarh, after the completion of Operation Black Forest.

Amit Shah said that the Modi government has resolved to eliminate Naxalism before March 31 next year.

'A landmark achievement in the battle to eliminate Naxalism. Today, in an operation in Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh, our security forces have neutralised 27 dreaded Maoists, including Nambala Keshav Rao, alias Basavaraju, the general secretary of CPI-Maoist, topmost leader, and the backbone of the Naxal movement,' he said in a post on X.

'This is the first time in three decades of Bharat's battle against Naxalism that a General Secretary-ranked leader has been neutralised by our forces. I applaud our brave security forces and agencies for this major breakthrough. Also glad to share that after completion of Operation Black Forest, 54 Naxalites have been arrested and 84 Naxalites have surrendered in Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Maharashtra. The Modi government is resolved to eliminate Naxalism before the March 31. 2026,' he added.

Earlier on Wednesday, 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 asserted that the 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.

The Deputy Chief Minister 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)