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Time of India
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Security forces release intense combat footage of 24-day action
Raipur: In a historic 24-day counter-insurgency operation that shook the stronghold of left-wing extremism, security forces neutralized 31 Maoists, and they have released video footage that the security men captured amid intense firefights, showcasing troopers launching bombs and engaging Maoist fighters in gun battles. To capture and communicate the magnitude of this mission, the forces have produced an 8-minute documentary released on May 14. The film, now being circulated among media outlets, highlights the operation's challenges and triumphs — from mountaineering-like climbs to high-stakes encounters. Security forces dismantled a large-scale arms production facility, and uncovered a cache of explosives, weapons, and survival supplies deep in the Karregutta Hills , once considered an impregnable Maoist fortress. The operation was a joint mission by the CRPF and Chhattisgarh Police, is being hailed as one of the biggest blows to Maoist insurgency in recent years. The video footage released by the forces shows commandos ascended rugged terrain and crossed dense forests using ropes, braving booby traps, and dodging hidden explosives. Helicopters dropped supplies as soldiers advanced day after day into hostile territory. Among the slain were top Maoist operatives, including Area Committee Members (ACM) and Divisional Committee Members (DVCM), signifying a direct hit to the Maoist leadership to PLGA battalion in the region. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Sente dores nas articulações? Este simples hábito pode mudar sua vida! AlwaysFit Saiba Mais Undo Four Maoist weapons factories were dismantled, with one yielding detailed manual on how to manufacture sniper rifles. The weapons seized were not just stored but manufactured within mountain caves — some of which doubled as bunkers, ration storage units, and hideouts. Police officials said that troops also discovered that insurgents had stocked rations sufficient for nearly two years, indicating how deeply entrenched and self-sufficient their hideouts were. The caves housed medicines enough to start a small pharmacy, confirming a structured logistical base in the remote mountains. Over 150 underground bunkers and dozens of mountain water sources were found to have supported the insurgents. "This is not just a military victory," an official in his office noted, "but an opportunity to transition this region from terror to peace through aggressive development." This operation is not just about numbers, say security experts. It signals a major psychological defeat for the Maoists, whose belief in the invincibility of Karregutta has now been shattered, an official said. "Never before have we recovered such sophisticated, locally built weapons," said CRPF DG GP Singh. "This shows they were not just surviving here — they were preparing for long-term combat." State DGP Arun Dev Gautam confirmed the operation destroyed four underground factories, and noted, "The Maoist movement in this zone is not just weakened — it's rattled."
New Indian Express
15-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Maoist base dismantled in Chhattisgarh, 31 killed in 21-day operation: Top officials
RAIPUR: The first-ever decisive and strategic crackdown against the CPI (Maoist) – 'Operation Black Forest', launched on April 21 – has 'stamped out the safe haven of senior Maoist leaders,' senior officials of the CRPF and Chhattisgarh police said, commending the operation as immensely successful. Executed in Bijapur's south-west forested area adjoining Telangana border, the operation involved thousands of security personnel for 21 days, during which the troops cautiously secured a substantial area of a lesser-known Karreguttalu forested hills surrounded by forests from the grip of left-wing extremists. During the operation, as many as 31 Maoists were killed in separate encounters. 18 jawans sustained injuries mostly in the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) pressure blasts and their conditions were stated to be out of danger. They were airlifted to Jagdalpur, Raipur and Delhi for immediate medical attention. A sizeable Karreguttalu hilly expanse was believed to be a key shelter for senior Maoist leaders including top commanders of the outfit for years. A joint team of security forces comprising personnel from different units of District Reserve Guard, Special Task Force, CRPF and its elite unit CoBRA force were engaged in the anti-Maoist campaign that culminated on May 11. CRPF DG G P Singh and Chhattisgarh police chief Arun Dev Gautam along with senior officials on Wednesday jointly briefed the media in Bijapur (south Bastar) on how the planned Operation Black Forest got executed and the successful outcome of the mission.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
31 Maoist rebels killed in India
Indian security forces have killed 31 Maoist rebels in a three-week operation in central India, police said on Wednesday. The rebels were killed in a joint operation by the Chhattisgarh state police and federal paramilitary forces with backup of Indian Air Force helicopters, Chhattisgarh state police chief Arun Dev Gautam said at a media briefing. India's Home Minister Amit Shah in a post on X described the operation in the Kurraguttalu Hills on the border of Chhattisgarh and Telangana states in central India as 'a historic breakthrough' in the fight against the Maoist rebels. India's armed Maoist rebellion has been fought largely from the forest belts across several states in central and eastern India. The rebels have suffered heavy losses over the past few years with Shah saying they would be rooted out by March 31, 2026. According to government data released earlier this year, 380 Maoist rebels have been killed, 1,194 arrested and 1,045 have surrendered since December 2023. More than 100 civilians and 40 security force personnel have been killed in the same period, according to the South Asia Terrorism portal. Shah said the Kurraguttalu Hills functioned as unified headquarters for several Maoist groups, and training and strategizing took place there. Gautam said the mission used technical field intelligence, and security forces had established a hilltop base with a helipad. Four weapons manufacturing units were also discovered and destroyed, he said. Maoist or left-wing extremism is described by the government as one of India's most serious internal security challenges. It is rooted in socio-economic inequality, under-development and fuelled by Maoist ideology. The Maoist rebels reject parliamentary democracy and claim their armed rebellion aims to secure rights for the poor and marginalized, especially in tribal areas.
