3 min readBhopalFeb 20, 2025 02:30 AM IST
First published on: Feb 19, 2025 at 09:30 PM IST
Madhya Pradesh’s Hawk Force has killed four suspected Maoists in an encounter in the Supkhar forest region of Balaghat district. All four suspects were women.
Officials said the operation took place Wednesday in the jurisdiction of Garhi police station when Maoists allegedly launched an attack on a search party during a reconnaissance mission.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, who congratulated the team, said that a large cache of weapons and ammunition was seized during the search operation. “The police are responding effectively to the remaining Maoists, ensuring their operations are countered with full force,” he said.
Security forces recovered several weapons, “including an SLR, INSAS rifles, .315 bore, and .303 bore rifles, along with other materials.”
“A massive search operation is underway to track down Maoists who managed to escape from the encounter site. Identification of the deceased Maoists will be conducted after the operation concludes,” said a senior official.
According to police officials, the Maoists, “angered by recent setbacks due to intensified security operations, were attempting to target security forces in the Supkhar forest”.
“Intelligence reports indicated increased Maoist presence and activity in the area, prompting the deployment of the Hawk Force for a search mission. During the operation, the Maoists launched a deadly attack on security personnel with the intent to kill and seize their weapons,” the officer said.
In response, the forces retaliated with controlled firing in self-defence, officials said.
“Overwhelmed by the counteroffensive, several Maoists managed to flee into the dense forests and hilly terrain,” the officer said.
Senior police officers in Balaghat have been leading an aggressive crackdown on Maoist insurgency. At the centre of this thrust is the Hawk Force which has been “executing strategic operations to dismantle Maoist activities in the region.”
Notably, two encounters took place in Mandla district in December 2024, followed by confrontations in Balaghat in January and February 2025.
In a recent encounter on February 7, 2025, in the Managarh forest of Hatta police station area, security forces seized a powerful Barrel Grenade Launcher (BGL)—a long-range lethal weapon—for the first time in the state. Additionally, security forces have uncovered Maoist dumps hidden in the forest, seizing essential supplies, Maoist literature, and explosive materials, thereby striking a blow to their logistical and financial networks. A printing machine used for anti-government propaganda was also recovered.
Security forces recovered several weapons, "including an SLR, INSAS rifles, .315 bore, and .303 bore rifles, along with other materials." (Representational Image) 
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