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MP’s elite Hawk Force loses decorated officer in encounter with armed Maoists

Inspector Ashish Sharma sustained bullet wounds while leading his team against a heavily armed Maoist group. The Chief Minister offered his condolences.

Inspector Ashish Sharma was a two-time gallantry medal recipient and one of the brightest officers in the Hawk Force, famous for leading daring operations. (Image augmented using Google Gemini)

Madhya Pradesh’s elite anti-Maoist unit, Hawk Force, has lost one of its decorated officers after Inspector Ashish Sharma was killed during a fierce early morning encounter with armed Maoists in the dense forests near the Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh-Maharashtra tri-junction on Wednesday.

According to police, around 8.30 am, during a joint operation by police forces from Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra near the dense forests of the tri-junction between these states, Inspector Sharma sustained grievous bullet wounds in the thigh and abdomen while leading his team against a large, heavily armed, Maoist group deep inside Chhattisgarh territory.

Despite urgent medical efforts, including arrangements to airlift Sharma to a super-speciality hospital, he succumbed to his injuries at the Dongargarh Community Health Centre in Chhattisgarh’s Rajnandgaon district. Authorities confirmed casualties on the Maoist side but the exact numbers remain undisclosed as the operation continues.

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Inspector Sharma was a two-time gallantry medal recipient and one of the brightest officers in the Hawk Force, famous for leading daring operations. Earlier this year, he earned an out-of-turn promotion after a successful mission that neutralised three hardcore women Maoist operatives in the Raunda forests.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said that Sharma “laid down his life while valiantly fighting Naxal insurgents in the forests of Rajnandgaon”.

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“His unparalleled bravery and supreme sacrifice in the national campaign to eradicate Naxalism will forever be remembered and honoured. Inspector Sharma was twice awarded gallantry medals for his extraordinary courage and dedication to duty. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family; the entire state stands with them in this time of profound loss. We will continue to honour his legacy by resolutely pursuing peace and security for our people,” Yadav said.

This comes in the wake of the death of top-ranking Maoist leader Madvi Hidma, who was killed in an encounter in Andhra Pradesh. The operation dealt a serious blow to the Naxalites and has also taken the country closer to realising the Centre’s plans of eradicating the Left-wing extremist movement by next year.

Anand Mohan J

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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