Clashes, low turnout mar Raipur South by-election
The outcome of this by-election is seen as a critical prelude to the upcoming municipal elections, with both parties keen to maintain their influence.
At least nine naxals were killed in a joint operation by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh on Tuesday.
Acting on specific intelligence inputs about the presence of naxal, the joints teams of DRG and CRPF launched an operation in the area.
As the forces were closing in, the naxals opened fire, prompting strong retaliation from the security forces. The encounter broke out at around 11:30 am and was still underway at the time of writing this news article.
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“So far, nine Maoists have been killed, and a large quantity of weapons, including a self-loading rifle (SLR), a .303 rifle, and a .315 bore rifle, have been found from the spot,” a police statement said.
“All the jawans involved in the operation are safe. The search operation is still underway, and further details will be shared after the operation is complete,” it added.
The encounter comes just days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah set a target to eradicate Naxal insurgency in India by March 2026.
Addressing a high profile meeting last month, Mr Shah emphasised that Naxalism represents a significant challenge to India’s democratic framework and expressed confidence that the battle is nearing its final phase.
During the high-level meeting that was held in Raipur, Shah also reviewed the progress of government schemes in Naxal-affected districts and discussed strategies to overcome obstacles in infrastructure projects.
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