| Partof: | the Naxalite-Maoist insurgency |
| Date: | 16 April 2024 |
| Place: | Kanker district, Chhattisgarh, India |
| Result: | Security Force victory
|
| Combatant1: | Communist Party of India (Maoist) |
| Combatant2: |  India |
| Commander1: | Shankar Rao Vinod Gawde Lalitha[1] |
| Commander2: | Unknown |
| Units1: | Unknown |
| Units2: | Border Security Force District Reserve Guard |
| Strength1: | 29+ |
| Strength2: | Unknown |
| Casualties1: | 29 killed[2] |
| Casualties2: | 3 injured[3] |
The 2024 Kanker clash was an encounter between Maoist cadres of Communist Party of India (Maoist) and Indian security forces in the Kanker district of Chhattisgarh. It was one of deadliest encounters for the rebels in the insurgency.[4]
Anti-maoists operations were ongoing in the area regarding 2024 Indian general election, as Maoists have boycotted the elections and threatened to attack polling stations.[5]
The units of Border Security Forces and District Reserve Guards were patrolling forest near Binagunda village of Kanker district, when they came under heavy fire from the Maoists. After a heavy exchange of gunfire, security Forces recovered bodies of 29 Maoists along with, twenty-two weapons, including one AK-47 rifle, two INSAS rifles, one Self-Loading Rifle (SLR), one carbine, three .303 rifles, two .315 bore rifles, two 9MM pistols, two country-made launchers, eight muzzle loading guns, one country-made hand grenade and a huge cache of ammunitions were recovered from the encounter site. Security forces suffered with 3 injured personnel which are non-life-threatening.[6]
The encounter is considered one of the most successful anti-naxal operations in years. In 2024, the operations by security forces has resulted in killing of about 68 Maoists. The encounter can also be considered a major political victory for the government as elections was just 3 days ahead of the operation.[7]