Raipur, Indian troops have killed three individuals in a military operation in Chhattisgarh, a state that has been the site of continued unrest. The operation took place near a hill in the forest close to Koylibeda village in the Kanker district, where the police have identified the deceased as guerrillas from the Communist Party of India (Maoist).

According to Kashmir Media Service, the family members of the deceased contest the official narrative, asserting that their loved ones were not Maoists and that the encounter was staged. They claim that the three were killed in custody. This incident comes amid reports of an intensification of anti-Naxal operations in the Kanker district, accompanied by the establishment of numerous Indian army and police camps.

The deployment of over 100,000 troops, including a significant contingent of paramilitary forces, in Chhattisgarh reflects the Indian government’s escalated efforts to combat the Maoist insurgency. Since 1995, the conflict has resulted in the deaths of more than 3,000 individuals in the state alone.

The Maoist movement, advocating for independence from Indian rule, has been active since 1947 in several states, including Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra. This latest incident underscores the ongoing tensions and the complex challenges facing India’s efforts to address the insurgency.