14 Naxalites, Including Central Committee Member Jayaram alias Chalapathi, Killed in Gariaband Encounter

Gariaband/Raipur (Chhatisgarh) : In Chhattisgarh’s Naxal-affected Gariaband district, 14 Naxalites have been killed in an ongoing encounter between security forces and Naxalites in the Bhalu Diggi forest near Kulhadi Ghat in the Mainpur police station area. The operation, which began on Sunday morning, has so far resulted in the recovery of 14 bodies, along with an SLR rifle, IEDs, and a large cache of explosives. Among those killed is Jayaram alias Chalapathi, a Central Committee member carrying a bounty of ₹1 crore. The confirmation was made by SP Nikhil Rakesha.

According to police officials, two female Naxalites were killed on Monday, while a jawan from CRPF’s CoBRA battalion was injured. The encounter is taking place along the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border. Late Monday night and early Tuesday morning, 12 more Maoists were killed in the gunfire.

The police reported that on the night of January 18, intelligence inputs revealed the presence of around 60 Maoists in the Kulhari Ghat Reserve Forest, just 5 kilometers from Odisha’s Nuapada district border. Following this, Gariaband police launched a special search operation under the direct supervision of SP Nikhil Rakesha.

SP Rakesha stated that one CoBRA battalion jawan was injured during the encounter and has been airlifted to Raipur for treatment. His condition is reported to be stable. Security forces have also recovered automatic weapons, including an SLR rifle, during the operation.

This anti-Naxal search operation is a joint effort involving Gariaband Operation Group E30, CoBRA 207, CRPF’s 65th and 211th battalions, and Odisha’s SOG Nuapada.