21-day 'biggest-ever op' leaves 31 Maoists dead

BIJAPUR: A 21-day anti-Maoist operation in Karreguttalu Hills on Chhattisgarh-Telangana border culminated May 11, leaving scores of senior ultras dead — 31 bodies have been recovered till now — and scattering the centrally-located Maoist command into 8-10 smaller, dislocated units with a massively depleted arsenal and diminished capabilities.

Home minister Amit Shah hailed ‘ Operation Blackforest ’ conducted by Chhattisgarh Police’s STF, district reserve guard and CRPF as “the biggest-ever” assault on Maoists, reports Bharti Jain. PM Modi said, “We are committed to establishing peace in Naxal-hit areas.”

‘Forces defied terrain, weather, wild animals & web of land mines’

Karreguttalu Hills was the headquarters of the most lethal of CPI (Maoist) wings, the PLGA Battalion No 1 , and housed its arms manufacturing units in the natural cave formations. “I am extremely happy that there was not a single casualty among the security forces,” Amit Shah said as he congratulated CRPF, STF and DRG soldiers for facing the Naxalites “with exemplary courage even in adverse weather and treacherous terrain”.

Eighteen security personnel injured in the operation are out of danger and recovering. The 28 neutralised Naxalites identified so far include two divisional committee members and 11 PLGA battalion fighters; they together carried a reward of Rs 1.72 crore. “Under the leadership of PM @narendramodi ji, we are determined to root out Naxalism. I once again assure the countrymen that India is sure to be Naxal-free by 31 March 2026,” said Shah.

Addressing a joint press conference here Wednesday, Chhattisgarh DGP Arun Dev Gautam said the forces defied challenging terrain, extreme temperatures & rainstorms, threats from wild animals and a web of landmines laid by the nearly 350 Maoists operating in the area, to reclaim KGH after killing at least 31 Maoists, including 16 women cadres. Around 250 caves running through the hills — which housed four arms manufacturing units with lathe machines and weapon dumps holding 818 barrel grenade launchers; 35 automatic and semi-automatic weapons, 303 and INSAS rifles; 450 IEDs; cordex wires; besides 216 hideouts and bunkers; and 12,000 kg of food supplies and medicines — were cleared.

DG CRPF G P Singh said the operation has busted yet another major Maoist stronghold after Chakrabanda in Bihar and Burapahar in Jharkhand. “The disjointed (Maoist) military formations have been forced to take shelter in different places,” he said. A source said this affects the CPI (Maoist) command structure and operational capabilities as the scattered groups cannot congregate for a big operation at short notice.

Though the main objective of the operation was to neutralise top Maoist leaders like Hidma, the difficult topography of the hills made it difficult for the forces to assess the fatalities inflicted.

“Their technical units were busted and any attempt now by the scattered groups of Maoists, to reestablish contact will be detected through technical surveillance. Maoists are now possibly taking shelter in disjointed groups across national park area, West Bastar, south Bastar and parts of Telangana. Also, there seems to be some mistrust between the CPI Maoist leadership in Telangana and Chattisgarh. All this has put the Maoists on the backfoot,” said a senior officer.