Bhubaneswar: Twelve Maoists, Including Senior Leader Chalapati with ₹1 Crore Bounty, Killed in Gunfight Along Odisha-Chhattisgarh Border
Twelve Maoists, including senior leader *Chalapati*, who carried a ₹1 crore bounty, were killed in a gunfight between security forces and left-wing extremists along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border on Tuesday, police said.
The death toll from the ongoing inter-state operation rose to 14 after two women Maoists were killed in a separate encounter on Monday. The joint operation was conducted by the police forces of *Odisha* and *Chhattisgarh*, along with the *Central Reserve Police Force* (CRPF).
According to a statement from Odisha Police, "12 Maoists were killed during late night and early morning hours in an exchange of fire with the Special Operation Group (SOG) team during the ongoing joint inter-state operation."
The operation, which took place in the *Kularighat reserve forest* in *Chhattisgarh*, located just 5 kilometers from *Nuapada district* in Odisha, has resulted in the total number of Maoists killed in the area rising to 14. Authorities also reported seizing a large cache of arms and ammunition.
The exchange of fire, which led to the death of Chalapati and other Maoists, occurred in a forested area near the *Chhattisgarh-Odisha* border on Monday night.
This operation is part of ongoing efforts to curb Maoist activity in the region. In 2024, security forces killed over 200 Maoists, including 217 from Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region. The year also saw the arrest of over 800 Maoists and the surrender of around 802 others. However, the conflict has claimed the lives of 18 security personnel and 65 civilians.
Chalapati, a prominent figure in Maoist operations in the *Bastar* region, had recently relocated to the Odisha border area to evade increasing encounters in his previous stronghold.
The casualty count in the operation may rise further as investigations and operations continue.
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