New Delhi, Jan 21: A senior Maoist leader carrying a Rs 1 crore bounty, Jayaram Reddy, also known as Chalapati, was among 20 Maoists killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband district on Sunday night. Union Home Minister Amit Shah called the operation a “major success” in the ongoing fight against Naxalism.
The encounter occurred in the Kularighat reserve forest, located near the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border, after intelligence reports indicated the presence of Maoist operatives in the area.
A joint team comprising the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), CoBRA, and the Special Operation Group (SOG) from Odisha carried out the operation. Officials said a large cache of firearms, ammunition, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), including a self-loading rifle, was recovered from the encounter site.
A massive search operation is ongoing in the region to locate any remaining Maoist operatives.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised the efforts of the security forces, calling the encounter “another mighty blow to Naxalism.” He said, “Our security forces achieved major success towards building a Naxal-free Bharat. The CRPF, SoG Odisha, and Chhattisgarh Police neutralised 14 Naxalites in a joint operation along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border.”
Reiterating his resolve to eradicate Maoists by March 2026, Shah added, “With our resolve for a Naxal-free India and the joint efforts of our security forces, Naxalism is breathing its last today.”
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai lauded the bravery of the security personnel. “This success of the soldiers is commendable. I salute their bravery,” Sai posted on X (formerly Twitter).
He also highlighted the state’s progress under the BJP’s “double-engine government” and reiterated the government’s target to eliminate Maoist influence in Chhattisgarh by March 2026. “The security forces have been continuously achieving success and moving rapidly towards fulfilling the target,” he said.
Jayaram Reddy, alias Chalapati, was a senior member of the central committee of the Maoists, the group’s highest decision-making body. Originally from Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh, the 60-year-old leader relocated to the Odisha border in recent months due to increasing security operations in Abujhmad, Chhattisgarh.
Known as a key strategist for Maoist operations, Chalapati was heavily guarded by a team of 8-10 personal security operatives. His death is seen as a significant setback to the Maoist movement.
In 2024, security forces in Chhattisgarh killed over 200 Maoists, including 217 in the Bastar region, which comprises the districts of Bastar, Dantewada, Kanker, Bijapur, Narayanpur, Kondagaon, and Sukma. Additionally, approximately 800 Maoists were arrested, while 802 surrendered.
Maoist violence claimed the lives of 18 security personnel and 65 civilians in the same year.
In the aftermath of the operation, security officials recovered a significant stockpile of weapons, ammunition, and explosives. The recovery underscores the importance of sustained intelligence and surveillance in combating Maoist activities.
The Chhattisgarh government and security agencies remain committed to eliminating the Maoist threat and ensuring peace in the region.
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