In a significant anti-insurgency operation, two Maoists were killed during an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Saturday, January 17, 2026. The gunfight erupted in the Mankeli area, located within the forested hills of the district's northwestern region, following specific intelligence inputs regarding the presence of armed Maoist cadres. The operation was spearheaded by a joint team comprising personnel from the Special Task Force (STF), Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) units of the CRPF, and the District Reserve Guard (DRG). Officials confirmed that two bodies of the slain Maoists were recovered from the encounter site, along with automatic weapons, including AK-47 rifles. While initial reports suggested the operation was triggered by intelligence concerning senior Maoist commander Papa Rao, also known as Mongu, his death among the recovered bodies was not definitively confirmed, pending further investigation and identification. The encounter underscores the ongoing efforts by security forces to curb Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) in the Bastar region, a long-standing Maoist stronghold. The state has seen intensified operations aimed at dismantling Maoist networks and bringing the decades-long insurgency to a close, with government officials emphasizing that Maoism in Chhattisgarh is nearing its decisive end. This incident aligns with the broader strategy to eliminate Naxalism from India, with authorities continuing search and cordon operations in the vicinity to ensure complete security.