NEW DELHI

Fifteen Naxal rebels were killed in a gun battle with security forces in the Indian state of Jharkhand, officials said Thursday.

Michael Raj S, a senior police officer in the state, said the encounter took place in the Saranda forest region and bodies were recovered after the fight.

The insurgent group draws inspiration from far-left radical communists, supportive of Maoist political ideology.

“We are committed to eradicating Naxalism, which has been synonymous with fear and terror for decades, before March 31, 2026,” said Home Minister Amit Shah on US social media company X.

The government has said the insurgency will be quashed by March.