Raipur/Sukma, March 29 : One Maoist cadre was neutralised in an encounter with security forces in the forested hilly terrain under the Polampalli Police Station area of Sukma district in Chhattisgarh on Sunday.

The operation was launched by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) team of Sukma based on specific intelligence inputs about the presence of Maoists in the region.

Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan said that the DRG team initiated a search operation in the dense forest. During the combing operation, an intermittent exchange of fire broke out between the security personnel and the Maoist group from the morning of March 29, 2026.

After the firing stopped, the search team thoroughly combed the encounter site and recovered the body of one male Maoist cadre along with a weapon.

The deceased Maoist has been identified as PPCM Moochaki Kailash, a resident of Poolanpad under Chintalnar Police Station in Sukma district. He held the rank of Section Commander in Platoon Number 31 of the CPI (Maoist) outfit.

A reward of Rs 5 lakh had been announced on his head. He was wanted in several cases related to civilian killings, attacks on security forces, and conspiracies involving improvised explosive device (IED) blasts.

Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj Pattilingam appealed to the remaining Maoist cadres to surrender immediately. He stated that the window of opportunity for surrender and rehabilitation is now in its final phase and that the cadres have very limited time left to avail themselves of this facility.

The senior police officer urged the Maoists to renounce the path of violence, return to the social mainstream, and begin a peaceful, secure and dignified life for themselves and their families. He emphasised that security forces will continue relentless operations against those who choose to remain in the jungle and indulge in violence.

The encounter comes at a time when the state police and central forces have intensified anti-LWE operations across the Bastar division ahead of the March 2026 deadline set by the Central government to eradicate Left-Wing Extremism from the region.

In recent months, several Maoist cadres have laid down arms and joined the mainstream, while many others have been neutralised in similar intelligence-based operations.

Local residents expressed relief after the successful operation, as the area has witnessed repeated Maoist activities in the past.

The body of the slain Maoist has been shifted for post-mortem and further legal formalities. A detailed search operation is still continuing in the surrounding forest to trace any other members of the group who might have fled during the exchange of fire.

Police officials have confirmed that no casualties or injuries were reported on the side of the security forces in this encounter.

The successful action has been seen as another step forward in the ongoing campaign to restore complete peace and normalcy in the troubled Sukma region of Chhattisgarh.

/IANS