On Tuesday, security forces killed three Naxalites, including a top leader with a Rs 25 lakh prize, during an operation in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada area.

A gunfight occurred around 8 am in a forest on the border between Dantewada and Bijapur districts. It happened when a team of security forces was carrying out an anti-Naxalite operation, according to a police official who spoke to the news agency PTI. Dantewada Superintendent of Police (SP) Gaurav Rai stated that security forces launched an operation against Naxalites after receiving information about their presence in areas near the Dantewada and Bijapur districts.

During the search after the encounter, security forces found the bodies of three Naxalites, including top commander Sudhir, along with firearms at the spot. Security forces recovered an INSAS rifle, a .303 rifle, a 12-bore rifle, and other explosive materials from the encounter site. One of the Naxalites was identified as Sudhir, also known as Sudhakar or Murali, a member of the Dandakarnya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZCM) and a resident of Warangal district in Telangana. The identities of the other two Maoists are still being verified. Deputy Inspector General of Police, Dantewada Range, Kamalochan Kashyap, stated that a search operation was underway in the surrounding area.

Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj P, mentioned that security forces have eliminated 100 Naxalites so far this year in anti-Naxalite operations. He emphasised that the security forces in the Bastar region are working with full dedication to ensure peace, security, and development. On March 20, security personnel killed 30 Naxalites in two encounters in Bijapur and Kanker districts.