Security forces gunned down a woman Maoist commander carrying a Rs 5 lakh bounty during an encounter in Kanker district, Chhattisgarh, as the crackdown on insurgent activity intensified.
The slain Maoist, identified as Roopi, belonged to the Telugu cadre and served as an area committee commander. The gunfight erupted in the Machpalli–Aramjhora–Hiduur forest belt under the Chhotebethiya–Partapur police station area after forces launched a joint search operation based on intelligence inputs.
Police said Maoists opened fire on the team, prompting retaliation. After the encounter, security personnel recovered Roopi’s body, a pistol, ammunition, and Maoist-related materials. Kanker Superintendent of Police Nikhil Rakhecha said Roopi was one of the last active members of the Telugu Maoist network in Bastar. She was married to Vijay Reddy, a senior member of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, who was killed in an encounter last year.
Security forces have intensified search operations in the surrounding forest areas to track down other cadres. Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P said the government continues to offer surrender and rehabilitation opportunities to Maoists. He urged remaining cadres to abandon violence and join the mainstream.
Officials said Maoist numbers have dropped sharply across several districts, with some areas reporting single-digit presence. The operation marks another step in the state’s effort to eliminate armed insurgency by March 2026.
