Latest news with #CoBRA
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Security forces recover more than half of 4 tonnes explosives looted by Maoists
Bhubaneswar: A week after Maoists looted 4 tonnes of industrial explosives meant for stone quarry on Odisha-Jharkhand border, security forces on Monday recovered around 2.5 tonnes of it during a joint search operation carried out by Odisha police, CoBRA and Jaguar from Jharkhand and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Police officials in Odisha said the industrial explosive packets, in the form of gelatin sticks, were found stacked in and around the paths used by Maoist operatives in the hilly terrain of the dense Saranda forest in West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand. While a few packs were found lying in the forest on the Sundargarh side of Odisha, most of the other packets were kept hidden in the Saranda forest close to the Odisha border. On Tuesday, eight armed Maoists had hijacked around 4 tonnes of gelatin from a truck from near a forested stone quarry at Banko of Sundargarh district in Odisha and drove the vehicle to a nearby forest where they unloaded the explosives and allowed the truck driver to go. The truck driver told police that another 10-15 persons waiting inside the forest then looted at least 150 packets of explosives each weighing 15 to 25 kg. 'Due to the immediate launch of the search operation by the security forces, the Maoists could not get enough time to carry away the explosive packets to faraway locations inside the Saranda forest and had to bury the same,' said a senior official of the Odisha police. On Friday too, the security forces had recovered some amount of the explosives that were looted.
New Indian Express
27-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
CoBRA sting in Operation Black Forest
In a pre-mission briefing of his men from the special CoBRA force, Manoranjan, a newly-inducted young officer, had declared, 'It's a do or die mission, and mine will be the first CoBRA blood to be shed if it came to that.' During his pre-induction interview, I had observed his readiness to give his best for an operation. He and the brave men of CoBRA knew the challenge of fighting a well-armed, motivated and organised adversary—one who can't be identified easily even if seen gossiping with local villagers. So, imagine taking him on in his own adda. You cannot disrupt village life, though you are sure an extremist is hiding there. You don't have Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in force and your adversary enjoys the rights of a vibrant democracy. Maoists demonstrate their position by sporadic violence, so that the local population toes their line and joins their militia in large numbers out of fear, most often not knowing the movement's ideology. Mobile warfare is a decisive stage in guerrilla warfare to liberate pockets of influence. They set up alternative administrative structures where the presence of government agencies is not seen or felt—like in Abujhmad, which literally translates as 'unknown area'. Detection and disposal of explosives, especially the improvised explosive devices, are a real challenge. In September 2009, in one of the CoBRA unit's early major operations, Manoranjan and his men succeeded in outmanoeuvring the IEDs. But he did not survive the ensuing close encounter to tell the tale. For the newly operationalised CoBRA, it was a shock and a warning. But they just could not fail. The central government had recognised left-wing extremism as the worst internal security threat and had mandated CRPF to raise 10 units (about 10,000 personnel) of Commando Battalions for Resolute Action or CoBRA. The CRPF, seasoned with decades of experience in dealing with insurgency and terrorism, had to identify and develop 10 centres in affected states; and induct, train and equip the personnel recruited with stringent limits on age and physical efficiency.
New Indian Express
24-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Two Maoists killed in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh's Sukma, Bijapur
JAIPUR: Two cadres of CPI (Maoist) in uniform were killed in separate encounters with the security forces in the strife-torn districts of Sukma and Bijapur, Bastar police said on Saturday. According to Sukma district police chief Kiran Chavan, a joint team comprising District Reserve Guard (DRG) Sukma, STF, CoBRA, and CRPF launched an anti-Maoist search operation on 22 May based on the intelligence inputs about the movement of naxalites at Pesalpad terrain within the Kistaram police station limit. 'The recovered body of male Maoist has been identified as Area Committee Member Madvi Maada who was also the deputy commander of the South Sub-Zonal Bureau. One automatic pistol, BGL launcher and shells among other naxal items were recovered from the encounter scene,' the officer said. Similarly in Bijapur district, a team of security forces comprising DRG Sukma, STF, and CoBRA units 210 and 208 left on anti-Maoist operation on the basis of specific inputs about the presence of Red Rebels along the border region of Bijapur and Sukma districts. 'An exchange of fire took place between Maoists of PLGA Battalion No. 01 and the forces in the forests of Tumrel under Usur police station limits. After the encounter, a body of one hardcore Maoist identified as Sandesh areas Sannu who was an Area Committee Member of the South Bastar Division Committee was recovered,' said Jitendra Yadav, Bijapur district SP. Sukma and Bijapur are among the Maoist-affected districts of Bastar in south Chhattisgarh.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Time of India
CoBRA jawan & 2 Maoists killed in CG in 2 days
Raipur: A CoBRA commando and two Maoists have been killed in encounters in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur and Sukma districts on Thursday in the immediate aftermath of the Abujhmarh encounter in which 27 Maoists, including the topmost commander Basavaraju, were gunned down. Constable Mehul Solanki of CoBRA 210 battalion was part of a joint team of CRPF and District Reserve Guards (DRG) that took on a band of Maoists in Tumrel on the border of Sukma and Bijapur districts. The cadres were from PLGA Battalion 1 and the gunfight was intense, said Sukma SP Kiran Chavan. Solanki died on the battlefield due to a bullet injury. He was a native of Gujarat. Three CoBRA commandos were injured in the encounter. They were evacuated from the battle zone by an IAF helicopter and taken to a hospital in Raipur. They are out of danger. The forces found two dead Maoists while searching the area. They are yet to be identified, the SP said. Around 50km from Tumrel, a gunfight broke out in Sukma's Kistaram region. Joint forces from DRG, Special Task Force and CoBRA 210 battalion — constable Solanki's unit — gunned down a Maoist in a fierce encounter. He, too, is yet to be identified. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Time of India
Commando and 3 Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh encounters
RAIPUR: A CoBRA commando lost his life and three of his colleagues were injured in an encounter with Maoists in Tumrel on the border of Sukma and Bijapur districts on Thursday. Three Maoists were also killed, two in the gunfight in Tumrel and one in another encounter 50km from there. Commando Mehul Solanki, of CoBRA 210 Battalion, was part of a joint team of CRPF and DRG that took on a band of Maoists from PLGA 'Battalion 1' in Tumrel, said Sukma SP Kiran Chavan. The three injured commandos have been evacuated to a Raipur hospital and are out of danger. Meanwhile, with CPI (Maoist) left rudderless after Basavaraju's killing, 33 Maoists surrendered Friday in Bijapur and Dantewada. While 24, including nine women, surrendered in Bijapur, nine gave up arms in Dantewada.
