8 jawans, driver killed as Maoists attack security vehicle in Chhattisgarh

Dantewada: In a deadly Maoist ambush, eight jawans and a driver were killed when their vehicle was blown up in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Monday, police sources said.

The attack occurred around 2:15 pm in Kutra, part of the Bastar region, as the group was travelling in a Scorpio SUV. This marks one of the most severe Maoist strikes in the New Year.

The violence comes just days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah reiterated the government’s resolve to eliminate Maoist insurgency by March 2026.

On Sunday, security forces killed four Maoists, including two women, during an encounter in the Abujhmad region of Chhattisgarh. Weapons, including AK-47 and self-loading rifles, were recovered from the site.

Officials have launched a search operation at the scene of Monday’s attack, with additional details awaited. Saturday’s encounter, in which a District Reserve Guard (DRG) head constable, Sannu Karam, was killed, also resulted in the recovery of automatic rifles from the Maoists. The joint operation in the south Abujhmad forest continues as security forces pursue insurgent hideouts.

The surge in Maoist violence comes shortly after Amit Shah addressed surrendered Maoists in Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh. The Home Minister assured them of the government’s commitment to rehabilitation efforts and called for collective action to end the armed insurgency.

Shah urged surrendered rebels to encourage others to lay down their arms and integrate into society peacefully, reaffirming the government’s resolve to end Maoism in the region.   
(With IANS inputs.)