Raipur, In a significant escalation of conflict in Chhattisgarh state, Indian paramilitary forces are reported to have killed six individuals, among them two women, during an anti-Naxal operation. The operation, involving battalions from the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) and the Basaguda District Reserve Guard (DRG), unfolded in the dense jungles of Chikurbhatti and Pusbaka villages within the Bijapur district jurisdiction.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the Indian forces have characterized the deceased as Maoists, asserting that their deaths occurred in the midst of the operation aimed at combating Naxalite insurgency. This incident follows closely on the heels of the reported killing of three villagers in the same district, who were suspected of acting as informants for the police.

The ongoing violence in Chhattisgarh has seen a marked increase this year, with official figures citing the deaths of 37 Maoists and six personnel from the Indian forces. The previous year also witnessed a surge in such confrontations, culminating in the deaths of 24 Maoists and 25 members of the Indian security apparatus.

The region has long been a battleground for the Communist Party of India (Maoists) and other groups, including Dalits, who have been vocal in their demand for political rights and liberation from what they describe as oppressive Indian governance.