Bhubaneswar: As many as 12 Maoists were killed in an encounter with a joint team of Odisha and Chhattisgarh police near the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border in the wee hours of Tuesday.

The operation was launched on the night of January 19 on the basis of intelligence inputs indicating the presence of a large number of Maoists in the Kularighat Reserve Forest of Chhattisgarh, located just 5 kilometres from Odisha's Nuapada district.

On January 20, the security forces neutralized two women Maoist cadres and seized a significant cache of firearms, ammunition, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), including a self-loading rifle (SLR).

In the latest encounter, 12 Maoists were killed during an exchange of fire with the Special Operations Group (SOG) jawans. Arms and ammunition have been recovered in large quantities, and the number of casualties could rise as the operation continues, official sources said.

A massive search operation is underway in the border areas of Nuapada district in Odisha and Gariabandh district in Chhattisgarh.

The joint inter-state operations have intensified over the years, with a significant crackdown on Maoist activities. In 2024, six Maoists were killed, eight arrested, and 24 surrendered in operations. So far, in 2025, security forces have neutralized 13 Maoists as part of the ongoing efforts.