Top Naxalite Udham Singh Killed in Encounter in Chhattisgarh
Acting on specific intelligence inputs about the presence of Singh and other armed cadres in the forest and hilly areas under Tarrem police station limits, security personnel launched an operation, Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Yadav said.
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2026-02-05 14:21 GMT
Bijapur: A senior Naxalite carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head was gunned down on Thursday by security forces in an encounter in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, police said.He was identified as Udham Singh, a 'divisional committee' member of the south Bastar division of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist). Singh was in charge of platoon number 13 of the south Bastar division, the official added.
Acting on specific intelligence inputs about the presence of Singh and other armed cadres in the forest and hilly areas under Tarrem police station limits, security personnel launched an operation, Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Yadav said.
Personnel belonging to District Reserve Guard (DRG) and CRPF's elite CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) commandos were involved in the operation, he said.
"The exchange of fire took place between security forces and the Maoists at around 7.30 am. After the gunfight stopped, the body of Udham Singh was recovered. An AK-47 rifle, two magazines with 28 rounds, cordex wire, a wireless set, a mobile phone, pouch, backpack, tiffin bag and other Maoist items were seized from the encounter site," the SP said.
A native of Kottaguda village in Basaguda police station area of Bijapur district, Singh had joined the Maoist outfit as a party member in 2002-03 and had remained active along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border. He was associated with the Pamed area committee for the past three years, the official said.
"Nine cases related to Naxalite incidents were registered against him at various police stations of the district. He was allegedly involved in the 2023 attack on a police party in Gundam forest area under Tarrem police station area, the 2024 police-Maoist encounter in Putkel-Chipurbhatti forest under Basaguda police station area, and the attack on Jidpalli camp in 2024," the SP informed.
As many as 163 Maoists were killed in separate encounters in Bijapur district in 2025, while 11 Maoists have been neutralised so far in 2026, Yadav informed.
Bastar Range Inspector General of Police Sundarraj Pattlingam said security forces have been working with vigilance, restraint and determination to maintain peace and public safety in the Bastar region.
While strict legal action will continue against those who choose the path of violence, the government remains committed to rehabilitating those willing to return to the mainstream and lead a constructive life under its rehabilitation policy, Sundarraj said.
With this action, 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, which comprises seven districts, including Bijapur.
Last year, 285 Maoists were killed in encounters with security forces in Chhattisgarh. The Centre has set a deadline of March 31 this year to eradicate Left-Wing Extremism. PTI COR TKP GK BNM
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