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Hans India
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Top Maoist commander Tulsi killed in encounter
Palamu: In a major success for the security forces for the second consecutive day in the ongoing anti-Maoist operations in Jharkhand, top Maoist commander Tulsi Bhuiyan was gunned down in the Palamu district, officials said on Tuesday. The fierce encounter that began on Monday night in the Hussainabad subdivision of the district continued on Tuesday. An SLR rifle was recovered from the encounter site. The gunfight continued into Tuesday morning, and unconfirmed reports suggest that several other Maoists may have been injured or killed. Security personnel have launched a massive search operation across the area. Senior officials, including Palamu Superintendent of Police (SP) Rishma Rameshan and top CRPF officers, are present at the spot. According to an official, the operation was launched based on intelligence inputs about the presence of Maoist commander Nitesh -- who carries a reward of Rs 15 lakh -- and his squad in Sitachuan, a forested area on the border of Mohammadganj and Haidernagar police station limits. Sanjay Godram, another Maoist with a bounty of Rs 10 lakh, is also believed to be part of this group. As police and security forces closed in on the location, Maoists opened fire, prompting the forces to retaliate. In a significant development, 18 Maoists, including four associated with Battalion No. 1, surrendered in Sukma, Chhattisgarh, under the influence of the 'Niyad Nellanar' scheme. According to Sukma SP, Kiran G Chavan, Naxals from four different battalions, including those active in South Bastar, chose to abandon insurgency. He urged others to follow suit, highlighting that surrendered individuals would receive benefits from state government schemes aimed at rehabilitation. After elimination of Basvaraju – the dreaded Maoist who was carrying a Rs 1.5 crore bounty on his head, more Maoists are expected to surrender, the officer said. The surrender is an outcome of the 'Lon Varratu' campaign launched by the government and actively propagated by security forces. 'Lon Varratu' means come back home to your roots. The officers talk with the Maoists, particularly the young ones to lay down arms and join the mainstream of development.
India.com
27-05-2025
- Politics
- India.com
18 Maoists Surrender In Chhattisgarhs Sukma District
In a significant development, 18 Maoists, including four associated with Battalion No. 1, surrendered in Sukma, Chhattisgarh, under the influence of the 'Niyad Nellanar' scheme. According to Sukma SP, Kiran G Chavan, Naxals from four different battalions, including those active in South Bastar, chose to abandon insurgency. He urged others to follow suit, highlighting that surrendered individuals would receive benefits from state government schemes aimed at rehabilitation. After elimination of Basvaraju, the dreaded Maoist who was carrying a Rs 1.5 crore bounty on his head, more Maoists are expected to surrender, the officer said. The surrender is an outcome of the 'Lon Varratu' campaign launched by the government and actively propagated by security forces. 'Lon Varratu' means come back home to your roots. The officers talk with the Maoists, particularly the young ones to lay down arms and join the mainstream of development. The government has assured full support, including financial aid and skill development training. The police officer also stated that these individuals would be offered government jobs, emphasising the administration's commitment to reintegrating former Maoists into society. He made a strong appeal for others still involved in militant activities to surrender promptly. In a related development, 26 Maoists, including three with a combined reward of Rs 4.5 lakh on their heads, surrendered in Narayanpur on last Monday. Among them were five women Maoists, each carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on their head. These women, once active in various regional committees, expressed their desire to leave behind a life of violence due to years of hardship and growing disillusionment with Maoist ideology. Officials welcomed their decision, hoping it would inspire further surrenders. Many of these former Maoists were involved in disruptive activities such as road sabotage and propaganda. However, they have now renounced violence under the 'Lon Varratu' campaign. Since its launch, 953 Naxalites have surrendered in Dantewada district, 224 of whom carried rewards. The state's rehabilitation policy, actively promoted by senior officials, the police, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), has been instrumental in guiding misguided youth and hardcore Maoists toward reintegration. Authorities view these surrenders as a positive sign, optimistic that more individuals will abandon insurgency and embrace a peaceful, stable life in society.
Hans India
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
18 Maoists surrender in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh
Raipur: In a significant development, 18 Maoists, including four associated with Battalion No. 1, surrendered in Sukma, Chhattisgarh, under the influence of the 'Niyad Nellanar' scheme. According to Sukma SP, Kiran G Chavan, Naxals from four different battalions, including those active in South Bastar, chose to abandon insurgency. He urged others to follow suit, highlighting that surrendered individuals would receive benefits from state government schemes aimed at rehabilitation. After elimination of Basvaraju – the dreaded Maoist who was carrying a Rs 1.5 crore bounty on his head, more Maoists are expected to surrender, the officer said. The surrender is an outcome of the 'Lon Varratu' campaign launched by the government and actively propagated by security forces. 'Lon Varratu' means come back home to your roots. The officers talk with the Maoists, particularly the young ones to lay down arms and join the mainstream of development. The government has assured full support, including financial aid and skill development training. The police officer also stated that these individuals would be offered government jobs, emphasising the administration's commitment to reintegrating former Maoists into society. He made a strong appeal for others still involved in militant activities to surrender promptly. In a related development, 26 Maoists, including three with a combined reward of Rs 4.5 lakh on their heads, surrendered in Narayanpur on last Monday. Among them were five women Maoists, each carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on their head. These women, once active in various regional committees, expressed their desire to leave behind a life of violence due to years of hardship and growing disillusionment with Maoist ideology. Officials welcomed their decision, hoping it would inspire further surrenders. Many of these former Maoists were involved in disruptive activities such as road sabotage and propaganda. However, they have now renounced violence under the 'Lon Varratu' campaign. Since its launch, 953 Naxalites have surrendered in Dantewada district, 224 of whom carried rewards. The state's rehabilitation policy, actively promoted by senior officials, the police, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), has been instrumental in guiding misguided youth and hardcore Maoists toward reintegration. Authorities view these surrenders as a positive sign, optimistic that more individuals will abandon insurgency and embrace a peaceful, stable life in society.
NDTV
02-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Karregutta: Battle To Reclaim The Final Maoist Frontier In Chhattisgarh
The infamous 5,000-feet tall "Black Hill of Karregutta"- long considered an unbreachable fortress of Maoist insurgency - is on the brink of capture. For 11 relentless days, echoes of gunfire have shattered the grim silence of the Bastar forests. And now, India's largest anti-Maoist operation is approaching its most decisive chapter. The infamous 5,000-feet tall "Black Hill of Karregutta"- long considered an unbreachable fortress of Maoist insurgency - is on the brink of capture. Once sealed not by the government, but fear, Karregutta is now witnessing a fierce face-off between security forces and the last remnants of India's most elusive guerrilla outfit. Advertisement - Scroll to continue The target is clear - Madavi Hidma, the shadowy mastermind of Battalion No. 1, perhaps the most dreaded name in Maoist ranks. Since the operation began on April 22, two of the three critical ridges flanking the region have been secured. After gaining control of Neelam Sarai Hill on Day 9, the forces took over Dhobe hills near Karregutta that had long been under Maoists control. Troops were air-dropped on Dhobe hills from helicopters. National flags now flutter where landmines once ruled. The third ridge - Karregutta itself - is the final frontier. "This is the biggest anti-Maoist operation in the country. I salute the courage of our forces, operating in scorching heat, rugged terrain, without shade or water," said Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai, acknowledging the grit of the troops braving the searing heat and booby-trapped paths. Behind every rock lies a buried IED or Improvised Explosive Device. Each bush could spell death. Yet the forces march on, helicopters hovering overhead and boots on the ground after rappelling down ropes into one of India's deadliest combat zones. So far, 11 Maoists have reportedly been neutralized, three of them female cadres carrying a bounty of Rs 8 lakh each. But only a few bodies have been retrieved - proof of underground labyrinths and escape networks that are believed to crisscross the hills. Deep within Karregutta, a Maoist conclave has hunkered down for years, intelligence sources suggest. The sinister roster of the brass: Madavi Hidma, Damodar, Bandi Prakash, Azad, Chandranna, Sujatha, Vikram and Kuttaram Chandra Reddy of the Central Committee; Paparao and Deva of the Dandakaranya Zonal Committee Their suspected hideout? A gaping cave so massive, "even voices get lost inside", as one official described. It is from this lair that attacks with INSAS rifles, grenade launchers, and AK-47s have been meticulously planned. Political tensions, meanwhile, rise across the state's south border. Telangana, reportedly increasing pressure from the southern flank via Greyhounds, its special police unit, is advocating peace talks. Its Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and opposition leader K Chandrasekhar Rao, for once, are on the same side. While the Chief Minister said his government only sees Maoism from a social perspective, KCR -- as Mr Rao is popularly called -- has demanded that the Centre stop the anti-Maoist Operation in Chhattisgarh and "hold talks with Naxals like it is done in a democracy". But Chhattisgarh remains defiant. "This is no time for dialogue," declared Chhattisgarh Home Minister Vijay Sharma, slamming peace intermediaries. "Where were these voices when our jawans died in Jheeram Ghati? Now when Naxals are on the run, suddenly 'human rights' are being invoked. This is not negotiation, it is sabotage." The Central government has set a deadline, March 31, 2026, to end Maoism once and for all. But here in Bastar, the battle is no longer about deadlines or declarations. Karregutta is a symbol - of blood spilled, decades lost, and of a country reclaiming its land inch by inch. For the Maoists dug into the dark folds of this final hill, the message from the forces is clear: Surrender -- or fall to the bullet from any peak of Karregutta. Sign up to read this article FREE! Exclusive Stories: Dive into content reserved just for members. Fewer Ads: A cleaner, more enjoyable reading experience. Enhanced Interface: Tailored just for you. Join Now – It's Free!
