Bhopal, March 29 In a decisive success for security forces, Jagdish a.k.a. Budhra -- a hardcore Maoist operative linked to the Jhiram IED blast -- was eliminated early on Saturday morning in a massive operation along the Sukma-Dantewada border in Chhattisgarh.
This operation marked another chapter in the relentless campaign to eradicate Left Wing Extremism (LEW) from the region.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has already said the country will be LEW-free by next year.
Jagdish was a wanted figure implicated in the Darbha Valley Jhiram blast in 2013 that claimed the lives of prominent Chhattisgarh leaders, including Mahendra Karma, Vidya Charan Shukla, and Nand Kumar Patel.
Budhra’s end signals progress in dismantling the Maoist leadership structure, officials said.
According to official reports, security forces have launched 11 operations in 2025 alone, neutralising 142 Maoists so far.
Notable successes include the elimination of 31 Maoists on February 9 and 16 Maoists on March 25 in separate operations across districts such as Bastar, Dantewada, Bijapur, and Narayanpur.
The latest encounter, carried out on Saturday morning, saw joint action by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Upampalli under the jurisdiction of Keralapal police station.
A total of 17 Maoists, including 11 women, were killed during the engagement.
Among those slain was Jagdish, a Special Zonal Committee Member (SZCM) of the Maoist group, according to officials.
Just days ago, on March 25, security forces had eliminated three Maoists, including Sudhir a.k.a. Sudhakar, who carried a bounty of Rs 25 lakh on his head.
In the Bastar region, forces have neutralised 100 Maoists in 2025, with 49 eliminated in the span of just 10 days from March 20 to March 29.
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