Bijapur, 03 January (H.S.): Security forces gunned down two hardcore Naxalites in the wee hours of Saturday during an intelligence-led anti-Maoist sweep in Bijapur district's dense southern woodlands, recovering their bodies and weapons as operations intensify to dismantle lingering Left Wing Extremism pockets ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's March 31 eradication deadline.

The fierce firefight erupted around 5 a.m. when a District Reserve Guard (DRG) contingent—Chhattisgarh Police's battle-hardened tribal unit—ambushed Maoist cadres based on specific inputs about their presence in the remote, IED-riddled terrain, hallmark of Bastar's red corridor.

Bijapur Superintendent of Police (name unavailable in latest updates) confirmed the recoveries post-ceasefire, with combing intensifying sans casualties on the forces' side; the slain ultras' identities and affiliations—likely West Bastar Division operatives—await confirmation amid seized arms haul.

DRG's precision strike underscores 2026's aggressive tempo: 275+ Maoists eliminated statewide (246 Bastar), surging surrenders eroding CPI(Maoist)'s cadre base post-high-value scalps like Hidma's shadows.

Saturday's dawn duel—amid Abujhmad expansions sealing interstate ratlines—bolsters momentum since December's Bhairamgarh bloodbath claiming 12 ultras/3 DRG lives, reinforcing Shah's Naxalism's annihilation by 2026 vow as forces cordon suspect zones.

Bijapur, epicentre of hybrid threats blending IEDs/guerrillas, witnesses relentless ops blending tech (drones, BGLs) with local intel, reclaiming liberated zones.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar