Bijapur, a senior Naxal carrying the award ₹8 lakh was shot dead by security forces in an encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on Thursday, police said.
Top Naxal Udham Singh killed in encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur; carries a prize of ₹ 8 lakhHe was identified as Udham Singh, a member of the ‘Divisional Committee’ of the South Bastar Division of the banned Communist Party of India. Singh was in charge of platoon number 13 of South Bastar division, the official added.
Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Yadav said, based on specific intelligence about the presence of Singh and other armed cadres in forest and hilly areas under Tarem police station limits, security personnel launched an operation.
Members of the District Reserve Guard and CRPF’s elite Cobra commandos were involved in the operation, he said.
“An exchange of fire took place between the security forces and the Maoists around 7:30 am. After the exchange of fire, Udham Singh’s body was recovered. An AK-47 rifle, two magazines with 28 rounds, Cordex cable, a wireless set, a mobile phone, pouch, backpack, tiffin bag and other items were recovered from the site.”
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A resident of Kotaguda village in Basaguda police station area of Bijapur district, Singh joined the Maoist group in 2002-03 and was active along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border. He was associated with Palmed Area Committee for the last three years, said the official.
“Nine cases related to Naxal incidents have been registered against him in different police stations of the district. Attack on a police party in Gundam forest area under Tarrem police station in 2023, Police-Maoist encounter in 2024 in Putkel-Chipurbhatti forest under Basaguda police station area,” and the SP of Camp 204 said.
163 Maoists were killed in separate encounters in Bijapur district in 2025, and 11 Maoists have been neutralized so far in 2026, Yadav said.
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Bastar Range Inspector General of Police Sundarraj Pattalingam said security forces are working with vigilance, restraint and determination to maintain peace and public safety in Bastar region.
While strict legal measures will continue to be taken against those who choose the path of violence, the government is committed to rehabilitate those willing to return to the mainstream and lead constructive lives under their rehabilitation policy, Sundarraj said.
With this move, 23 Maoists have been killed in separate encounters in the state so far this year. On January 3, a total of 14 Maoists were gunned down in two encounters in the Bastar region comprising seven districts including Bijapur.
Last year, 285 Maoists were killed in encounters with security forces in Chhattisgarh. The Center has set a deadline of March 31 this year to eliminate left-wing extremism.
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