Bijapur: Two “dreaded” Maoists involved in several incidents of violence and carrying a collective reward of Rs 7 lakh were killed in an encounter with security forces in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh on Thursday, January 29, police said. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai praised the security forces for the success, describing the slain as Maoists “notorious”. After the firing ceased, the bodies of Pradeep alias Joga and Bheema Veko, who carried rewards of Rs 5 lakh and Rs 2 lakh on their heads, were recovered. On January 3, fourteen Maoists were killed in two encounters in Bastar region which comprises seven districts including Bijapur. In 2025, a total of 285 Maoists were killed in Chhattisgarh.