Indian forces killed two people in violence-hit Chhattisgarh state.  The killings took place during a cordon and search operation in the Bijapur district of the state.   Indian police officials, justifying the killings, have termed the deceased as Maoists. “We found the bodies of two Maoists during a search operation in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, taking the number of Maoists gunned down this year to 22,” said Additional Superintendent of Police Chandrakant Governa. 

Over the last two years (2024–2025), more than 500 people, labelled as Maoists, have been killed by Indian forces during cordon-and-search operations carried out in the Bijapur district.  Pertinently, Indian Home Minister Amit Shah has reportedly issued orders giving a free hand to all Indian forces, including the army, paramilitary, and police personnel, to eliminate members of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), also known as Naxalites, by March 2026.

These groups are often associated with demands for political justice and freedom.  The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), formed in 1969, and its successor groups, including the CPI-Maoist, have been engaged in guerrilla warfare against Indian armed forces. 

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)