14 Maoists killed in gunfight along Odisha-Chhattisgarh border

Chhattisgarh, Jan 20: Twelve more Maoists were killed in a gunfight between security personnel and left-wing extremists along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border on Tuesday, bringing the total number of Maoists killed in the ongoing operation to 14, police said.

The joint operation, carried out by the police forces of Odisha and Chhattisgarh along with the CRPF, is part of a crackdown on Maoist activity in the region. The casualties occurred during an exchange of fire between the Special Operations Group (SOG) team and the Maoists in the Kularighat reserve forest in Chhattisgarh, located just 5 km from the Nuapada district border in Odisha.

On Monday, two women Maoists were killed in a separate encounter, raising the total number of Maoists killed in the operation. “The number of Maoist casualties may increase as operations are ongoing. Arms and ammunition have been seized in large quantities,” a senior officer said.

The operation is part of a larger inter-state effort aimed at dismantling Maoist strongholds in the region. Authorities continue to assess the situation, and further updates are expected.