Three Naxals killed, jawan succumbs to injuries in Gadchiroli operation

GADCHIROLI (Maharashtra): Three Naxal cadres were killed during an anti-Naxal operation in the deep forests of Abujhmaad in the Chhattisgarh-Maharashtra border. One C60 jawan, who was airlifted from the Abujhmad forest early on Friday morning, also succumbed to his injuries in the hospital, according to a statement by Gadchiroli police on Friday.

Security forces retrieved two Naxal bodies on Friday morning, bringing the total number of Naxals killed in the encounter to three. Authorities also recovered one AK-47 rifle and one SLR (Self-Loading Rifle) from the site. The identities of the deceased Naxals have yet to be established.

The injured C60 jawan Deepak Chinna Madavi, who was airlifted from the remote forest area early on Friday morning and transported to the nearest Sub District Hospital, Bhamragad, succumbed to his injuries. Another jawan, Joga Madavi, sustained bullet injuries but is reported to be out of danger.

According to Gadchiroli police, “Injured C60 Jawan Deepak Chinna Madavi, who was airlifted from the deep forest in Abujhmad early morning and brought to the nearest Sub District Hospital Bhamragad, has succumbed to his injuries. One more jawan, Joga Madavi, received bullet injuries; he is out of danger now”.

Gadchiroli is a heavily forested and tribal-dominated district known to be a stronghold for Naxal activity, located in eastern Maharashtra. The region’s difficult terrain makes security operations challenging. The C-60 is a specialised commando unit of the Maharashtra Police, specifically trained for anti-Naxal operations in the Gadchiroli region.

In October, 2025, in a historic breakthrough for the Maharashtra government’s fight against Left wing extremism, Naxal Commander Mallojula Venogopal Rao, alias Bhupati, alias Sonu, alias Abhay, surrendered before Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the Gadchiroli Police Headquarters. Along with Bhupati, around 60 Naxalites laid down their arms, marking one of the largest surrenders in the state’s history. Bhupati that time, placed a precondition that he would only surrender in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Bhupati was born in Peddapalli district of Telangana. A postgraduate in commerce and belonging to a Brahmin family, he was known as one of the most educated figures in the Maoist movement. His elder brother, Kishenji, was a senior Maoist leader once tipped to become the General Secretary of CPI (Maoist) before being killed in an encounter in Bengal in 2012. (ANI)