Maoists Kill Two Villagers in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma District

Swift summary

• Two villagers, Devendra Padami and Padam Pojja, were killed by Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on september 2, 2025.
• With these killings, the number of civilian deaths caused by Maoists in Chhattisgarh in 2025 has reached 36.
• The incident occurred in Sirsetti village, under Kerapal police station jurisdiction.
• Sukma Superintendent of Police (SP) Kiran S. Chavan confirmed the murders and stated that further legal action is being taken while details are awaited.
• Similar incidents recently occurred: On August 29 in Bijapur and August 27 in Sukma district when two ‘shikshadoots’ (temporary visiting teachers) were abducted and killed by Naxalites.
• The location of the latest murders was approximately 5 km from the nearest police camps. Challenges like scattered populations and difficult terrain affect security operations, especially during nighttime when such incidents commonly occur.

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Indian Opinion Analysis
The recent killings by Maoists highlight ongoing security challenges facing remote areas of Chhattisgarh with difficult terrain and sparse populations inhibiting effective law enforcement measures. The frequency of civilian targeting-36 deaths reported this year-is a stark reminder that Maoist insurgency remains an enduring issue despite sustained counterinsurgency efforts over decades.

Killing individuals such as ‘shikshadoots’-educators promoting outreach-is particularly troubling as it undermines initiatives aimed at growth through education in affected regions while instilling fear among civilians attempting to collaborate with government efforts.

Operational difficulties like night ambushes exploiting geographical isolation suggest a pressing need to explore innovative ways to strengthen local infrastructure for timely intervention-including improved visibility, rapid response teams near vulnerable villages, or increased engagement channels to detect threats early on-and consider long-term socio-economic development programs alongside focused security strategies for sustainable conflict resolution.