22 Maoists killed in MAJOR operation at Karregutta hills on Telangana-Chhattisgarh Border

Mint

07-05-2025

Bijapur Naxalite encounter: Security forces have killed a total of 22 Maoists in what is the largest operation this year against left-wing extremists in the Karregutta hills, located along the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border. The offensive, launched on 21 April from Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh, involves approximately 20,000 personnel and is being led by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in conjunction with units of the Chhattisgarh Police.
The operation has now entered its 18th day, with over a dozen security personnel-including members of the CRPF's CoBRA unit and Chhattisgarh Police's District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Special Task Force (STF)-sustaining injuries. Among those wounded is Assistant Commandant Sagar Borade of CoBRA, who tragically lost a leg in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast two days ago.
Another commando from CoBRA's 206th battalion was severely injured in a similar blast on Wednesday. Despite these setbacks, the security forces continue their determined campaign against the insurgents.
The importance of the operation can be gauged from the fact that CRPF director general (DG) G P Singh is camping continuously in the state, at Raipur and some times at Jagdalpur, since April 19 and has visited the operations area including the Karregutta hills thrice till now, officials said.
Everyday, the CRPF and state police heads meet twice at the police headquarters in Raipur to review the operation, rotate the troops and ensure that supply lines of food, water and ammunition are replenished, they said.
Officials said the Karregutta hills area has been "an untouched territory till now and it was a testimony of the forces strength that there have been no casualties on their side despite the heavily mined area, hot weather and harsh terrain".
"The coordination between the CRPF and Chhattisgarh Police is going great and that is why the forces were able to capture the hill and hold the area till they neutralise or apprehend the last Maoist on ground there," a senior officer said.
The joint forces have recovered and defused about 135 IEDs till now, officials said, adding a "final offensive" has been launched.
The CRPF, this week, inducted as many as 20 new companies comprising about 2,000 personnel for the operation.
The security forces are now "holding the heavily mined hill areas which has multiple bunker-like hideouts," according to officials.
Some senior Naxal cadres are suspected to be holed up in the hill area. The operation will reach its logical conclusion soon, a senior officer supervising the operation had told PTI on Tuesday.
About four helicopters, two drone squadrons comprising 20 big and small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in each, along with satellite imagery and maps provided by the NTRO, have been deployed to track Hidma, the top commander of the PLGA battalion no 1, and other senior cadres like Deva, officials have said.
Inputs suggested that Hidma was seen around a bunker built in the Karregutta Hills along with an armed squad, and the operation was launched on this information.