New Delhi: Three Naxals were killed and an elite police commando lost his life during a prolonged encounter with security forces in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district on Friday. Another commando sustained injuries as the gun battle continued for more than twenty four hours in the heavily forested border region adjoining Chhattisgarh.
The operation was launched after Maharashtra Police received specific intelligence inputs about the movement of armed cadres belonging to company number ten of the banned Communist Party of India Maoist. Acting on the information, the specialised C60 commando unit initiated a large scale counter insurgency action near Phodewada village along the Gadchiroli and Narayanpur border.
Officials stated that the first exchange of fire took place on Wednesday, during which two Maoist camps were destroyed. Security teams recovered several articles believed to belong to the insurgents, but difficult terrain and thick vegetation allowed many of them to escape initially. To strengthen the cordon, four additional C60 units and a Quick Action Team of the Central Reserve Police Force were deployed on Thursday morning.
Fresh firing erupted again on Friday, leading to the recovery of the body of one Naxal along with an AK47 rifle and a self loading rifle. Authorities said the identities of the slain insurgents were yet to be confirmed and efforts were underway to determine whether more Maoists had been injured or killed. Combing operations continued through the day to ensure that no armed cadres remained hidden in the area.
The injured commando was being evacuated late in the evening while search teams expanded the operation across nearby stretches. Visuals from the site showed scattered belongings and makeshift shelters indicating the presence of a well established Maoist hideout.
The encounter comes amid a nationwide decline in Left Wing Extremism. Government data presented in Parliament earlier this week revealed that more than 7,400 Naxals have been arrested and 5,880 have surrendered since 2019. Violence related to the movement has reduced sharply from 1,936 incidents in 2010 to 234 cases in 2025.
Authorities said only eight districts remain affected compared to 126 in 2018, with focused action being taken to choke financial and logistical networks of the banned organisation. In 2025 alone, security forces neutralised 364 extremists and facilitated over 2,300 surrenders, reflecting sustained pressure on the insurgent infrastructure.
