Three Naxals were killed in an intense gun battle with security forces in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra on Friday, while one elite police commando lost his life and another was injured. The encounter followed a major counter-insurgency operation launched by the Maharashtra Police based on specific intelligence inputs.
The operation was carried out by the state police’s specialised C-60 commando unit in a dense forested area near Phodewada village, close to the Gadchiroli–Narayanpur border. According to officials, intelligence received on Tuesday evening indicated the presence of armed cadres belonging to Company No. 10 of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) in the region.
An official said the operation initially involved 14 C-60 units under the supervision of the Sub-Divisional Police Officer of Bhamragad. “An exchange of fire took place on Wednesday, leading to the detection and destruction of two Naxalite camps,” the official told news agency PTI. However, the Maoists managed to evade capture at that stage due to difficult terrain and dense forest cover, leaving behind several belongings.
On Thursday morning, security forces reinforced the cordon by deploying an additional four C-60 units and one Quick Action Team (QAT) of the CRPF. Fresh firing broke out on Friday, during which the body of one Naxal was recovered along with an AK-47 rifle and a self-loading rifle (SLR).
“The identities of the slain Naxals are yet to be ascertained. There is a strong possibility that more Maoists may have been injured or killed,” the official said. He added that a C-60 jawan sustained a bullet injury late in the evening, and efforts were underway to evacuate him from the area.
A video from the encounter site showed scattered belongings believed to belong to the Naxals, spread across the forest floor. Meanwhile, combing and search operations are continuing to ensure no armed cadres remain concealed in the area. Authorities said further details regarding recoveries and the exact sequence of events would be available once the operation concludes.
Government Highlights Progress in Nationwide Anti-Naxal Movement
Amid the ongoing operation, the Centre on Tuesday informed the Lok Sabha of significant progress in its nationwide anti-Naxal drive. The government said over 7,400 Naxals have been arrested and 5,880 have surrendered since 2019, while incidents of Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-related violence have declined by 88 per cent, from 1,936 in 2010 to 234 in 2025.
Replying to a question in Parliament, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said that in 2025 alone, security forces neutralised 364 Naxals, arrested 1,022, and facilitated the surrender of 2,337 others.
Rai noted that Left Wing Extremism, once a major internal security challenge, has now been confined to a handful of pockets. The number of affected districts has reduced from 126 in 2018 to just eight by December 2025, with only three remaining the most severely impacted.
He also said special emphasis was being placed on disrupting financial networks linked to the outlawed CPI (Maoist) and its supporters, with coordinated action by state police forces and central agencies to choke funding and logistical channels.
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