In a striking admission filled with remorse and frustration, Maoist insurgents have acknowledged the deaths of 35 cadres, including senior leaders, following a significant encounter with security forces in Bastar earlier this month. According to official statements from the security forces, 31 insurgents were killed in the operation, with 29 bodies being identified. However, the Maoists, in their communique, revealed a higher toll of 35, providing the names and ranks of all the slain cadres. This revelation highlights the crushing impact of the operation on the Maoist movement, reinforcing the security forces’ dominance in the ongoing conflict.

 

This significant blow has been largely attributed to the decisive leadership of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, whose administration is systematically dismantling the Maoist hierarchy across the State. Sai’s leadership aligns with Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s broader strategy to eliminate the LWE threat by March 2026. Under this directive, security forces have been provided with extensive resources and logistics to meet the deadline. The Sai-led Government is also focused on accelerating development in Bastar, a region long plagued by Maoist insurgency. The encounter, led by the elite District Reserve Guard (DRG) alongside state police forces, officially resulted in the elimination of 31 Maoists, according to security reports. Out of these, 29 bodies were identified.

 

However, the Maoists, in their communique, claimed that the death toll was 35, revealing the names and designations of all those killed. This higher figure highlights the overwhelming blow inflicted on the insurgent ranks. Among the deceased were Kamesh Usri, Majhi Ram, and Sohan Mandavi (DVCM members); Nanu Mandavi and Kiran Mandavi (LGS commanders); Bheema, Jagat Mandavi, Rajendra Korram, Arjun Usendi, and Ravi Usendi (ACM members); and senior cadres including Suresh alias Jakka, Joga Korsa, Vijju Korram, Lokes, Komesh, Quesling, Somraj, Nilesh, Sumun, Manju, Anil Doddy, Ujwala, Ramnath, Ramesh Usendi, Laxman Korram, Suman Korram, Mohan Usendi, Santoshi Korram, Ram Usendi, Vikas Mandavi, Lokesh Mandavi, Sujata Usendi, Amit Usendi, and Mahendra Usendi. The total bounty on the insurgents killed is said to be over Rs 2.15 crore. Security forces, particularly the DRG, have long been at the forefront of dismantling Maoist strongholds in Bastar, and this operation is considered one of the most significant victories in the ongoing fight against LWE insurgency. The Maoists themselves admitted the scale of their defeat, particularly the role of DRG personnel in inflicting severe damage to their ranks. With several top leaders among the dead, the Maoist movement is now grappling with one of its worst-ever setbacks in Bastar.