Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], April 1 (HBTV): Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Saturday congratulated the security forces for their bravery after they neutralised 16 Naxalites and recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition in a major encounter in the Kerlapal area of Sukma district.

He reaffirmed that Union Home Minister Amit Shah's resolve to eliminate Naxalism from the country by March 2026 would be fulfilled.

‘I congratulate the security forces for their bravery, and I bow to their courage. Our government is continuously achieving success in this regard... I believe that Union HM Amit Shah's resolve to eliminate Naxalism from the country by March 2026 will be fulfilled,’ Sai told ANI.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma confirmed that a top Naxal leader was among those killed in the encounter.

The Naxal leader, identified as Jagdish, was carrying a cash reward of INR 25 lakh. He was involved in the Jhiram Ghati incident, in which top Congress leaders of Chhattisgarh were killed, as well as the Narayanpur incident, where several security personnel lost their lives.

Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao reiterated the government's commitment to eradicating armed Naxalism.

‘The resolve of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is to eliminate armed Naxalism from the country by March 2026, and our security forces are working in the same direction. With the bravery and courage of our security forces, we will eliminate Naxalism within the given time,’ Sao said.

Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan confirmed the recovery of 16 Naxal bodies from the site.

‘Two of our jawans sustained injuries during the operation and are being evacuated for medical attention,’ Chavan said.

Security forces also seized a large cache of sophisticated weapons, including AK-47 rifles, Self-Loading Rifles (SLRs), and INSAS rifles from the area.

‘This can be called one of the biggest encounters Sukma has seen to date,’ Chavan added.

Officials stated that the identities of the slain Naxals are yet to be ascertained. The exchange of fire began following a joint anti-Naxal operation launched by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Friday.

According to officials, the operation was initiated based on specific intelligence regarding the presence of Naxals in the Kerlapal area under Sukma police station limits. The joint team moved out for the search mission on March 28, and intermittent firing had continued since early morning on March 29.

Security forces are currently conducting an intensive search of the encounter site and surrounding forested terrain.

Sukma is one of the worst-affected districts in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, which has witnessed several Naxal attacks in the past.

(ANI)