A gunfight broke out on Saturday morning in Sukma district, Chhattisgarh, resulting in the deaths of 16 Naxals and injuries to two security personnel. The encounter occurred during an anti-Naxal operation led by a joint team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The operation was launched late Friday night in the Kerlapal area following reliable intelligence.

A large cache of weapons, including two AK-47s and several country-made firearms, along with ammunition, were seized from the encounter site. The two injured security personnel have been taken to a hospital in Sukma.

This follows a series of successful operations by security forces in Chhattisgarh. Earlier in March, forces killed at least 30 Naxals in the Bijapur and Kanker districts. As part of a broader strategy to eliminate the Naxal threat by 2026, security operations have intensified in the region.