Latest news with #Kagar
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
CPI(ML) New Democracy criticises Union government for not handing over the bodies of Maoist leaders to their families
CPI (ML) New Democracy's State official spokesperson and Indian Federation of Trade Unions State president P. Prasad on Saturday accused the Union government of violating Constitution norms and basic human rights by refusing to hand over the bodies of Maoist leaders who were killed in encounters in Chhattisgarh and other places. The party organised a condolence meeting in Srikakulam and recalled the services of Maoist top leaders Nambala Keshava Rao, Sudhakar and others who were killed recently in Operation Kagar launched by the Union government. Speaking on the occasion, he said that completion of last rites was the wish of every family but it was denied by the Union government. He said that the Maoist leaders dedicated their lives for the people's rights while ignoring their own families for many decades. Mr. Prasad said that the government cannot kill the ideology of Maoism with its special operations like Kagar and others. CPI (ML) New Democracy Srikakulam district secretary Tandra Prakash and the party assistant secretary Vankala Madhavarao alleged that the government not handed over Keshavarao's body to his family members in spite of the Andhra Pradesh High Court's order. Several leaders, including Tirupati Rao (CPI), Rao (CPIM) and Tandra Aruna (CPI-ML), offered tributes to the portrait of Keshavarao.
The Hindu
24-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Is this the endgame for the Maoists?
The recent killing Nambala Kesahava Rao (70) alias Basavaraju alias Ganganna in the Abujhmadh area of Chhattisgarh, has hit the banned CPI(Maoist) very hard. Getting Basavaraju, the general secretary of the party, at his headquarters, especially when he was guarded by his special protection force, which is referred to as Company no. 7, comes as a huge surprise for the left wing extremists. They are already on the backfoot with the ongoing operations by the security forces at Karregutta in Chhattisgarh, as part of operation Kagar and Black Forest and now the elimination of their top most leader, is the biggest blow that the security forces could give to the LWE, ever since they had launched their offensive. But would the killing of Basavaraju, be termed as the 'Endgame' for the Maoist? Going by their brief six-decade existence, it may not be so. In early 1990s, after the unified Andhra Pradesh government had launched the counter offensive with the formation of the elite anti-Naxal force the Greyhounds, the Maoists then referred to as CPI (ML) PWG (People's War Group), were reduced to just one single dalam. But they regrouped and bounced back to own up the formation of a 'liberated zone' in Chhattisgarh. But as per security analysts, things in the 1990s were different and now the entire scenario has reversed. It was the Greyhounds that had pushed the Maoists from Andhra Pradesh to Chhattisgarh and Odisha and then the police force in these states were not equipped to handle the level of guerilla warfare unleashed by the Maoists. Now, not only Telangana and Andhra have the well trained Greyhounds, who are touted to be one of best in jungle guerilla warfare, all LWE-affected states such as Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Odisha, have trained special forces to beat the extremists at their own game. Maharashtra has C-60, Odisha has SOG (Special Operations Group), and Chhattisgarh has the CRPF CoBRA and the DRG (District Reserve Guards). At least 26 Naxalites killed in encounter in Chhattisgarh Now all the forces are not only in possession of superior firepower, they are well trained, we have strengthened our intelligence network, we have high-end technological support and the most importantly we work as a team, which includes intelligence sharing, across the States, said a senior police officer from Andhra Pradesh. In fact, it was Andhra Pradesh Police that had shared vital information about Basavaraju's location to the Chhattisgarh police, before the operation. Reaching the elusive Basavaraju, has been elusive for the last five decades. He was never arrested since he had joined the active movement. Reaching him was not an easy task, as he was protected by at least a three layer protection ring. Sources say that apart from intelligence inputs from various sources and AP Police in particular, the members of DRG unit who undertook the operation had played a key role. Many in the DRG personnel were former surrendered Maoists from that region and they were well aware of the terrain and his hideouts. Moreover, a few months ago, a couple of Maoists from Basavaraju's close circles, including from Company 7 had surrendered. There is an indication that they could have led the forces, said a senior officer engaged in anti-Maoist operations. As per sources in the DRG, the operation was meticulously planned over three months with the Narayanpur police and it was on for the last couple of weeks, before zeroing down on him. On the night of the encounter, both Basavaraju and the DRG personnel unknowingly camped within a radius of 1 to 1.5 km. At dawn, a chance firing took place between Basavaraju's sentry and a DRG Jawan, which led to the fierce gun battle that lasted for about 30 to 40 minutes and over 300 rounds were fired by both the sides. The identity of Basavaraju was confirmed by a DRG Jawan, who was a former Maoist and had worked with him. Where did Maoists go wrong? Security analysts, who have been closely monitoring the Maoists for decades, opine that the present outfit of the LWE had made a few key mistakes, which is costing them heavily now. The Maoists basically have two verticals – the political wing and the military wing. Since the formation of CPI (Maoist) in 2004, the focus has been on developing the military wing and the political wing was grossly neglected. This apparently distanced them from the people and a large part of the intelligentsia, who had once supported them ideologically. Mindless killing of innocent tribals branding them as informers did not go well with the sympathising community, rather they had openly objected to it. There has been ideological clashes between the Central Committee members who wanted both the wings to develop, as it was hampering the recruitment of intellectual and learned young men. The external support base of the banned party has shrunk so much that even after the killing of their top most leader, the protest has been almost negligible. In a similar scenario, when three top leaders were eliminated by the AP Police on December 2, 1999, in Koyyur forest area of Karimnagar district in now Telangana, the State almost burnt for a few days, with protests erupting across the State. Documents seized from the earlier encounter sites, clearly indicated that the main reason for the expulsion of Kondapalli Seetharamiah, the founder of PWG, was the ideological clash. He wanted more focus on the political side rather than the military offensive. But the then young guns like Basavaraju and Ganapathi (the predecessor of Basavaraju) wanted to develop militarily. We had deviated from our core focus area and we are paying the price now, said a former Maoist. Ever since the focus has shifted to military tactics, most of our over ground organisations such as RSU (Radical Students Union) or RCS (Rythu Coolie Sangam), which had played the role of propagating our ideology and as well was our recruitment front, have taken a backseat, he added. Who after Basavaraju? Now with Basavaraju gone, the main propagator of military tactics and the Central Committee and Politburo dwindled to single digit from about 30 members, till a few years ago. Basavaraju's demise will create a huge void in the military wing, and the remaining CC members are beyond 60 years of age. Two names are making the rounds: Mallojula Venugopal alias Vivek alias Sonu and Malla Raji Reddy alias Sattenna alias Sangram. Both are said to be moderate in their approach and not expert military strategists like Basavaraju. On the other hand Madvi Hidma the youngest in the CC, is said to be too young, brash and a protege of Basavaraju, who believes in the ideology of military dominance. The question that looms large, will they be able to re-mobilise the political side, keeping the military flock with them, or as experts suggest that the endgame is on.
Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Operation Kagar is a step towards wiping out Naxalism
In the din of Operation Sindoor, news media perhaps missed another crucial operation – Operation Kagar. It was launched on April 21, around the Karreguttalu hill range straddling Telangana and Chhattisgarh, to neutralise Maoists staying in the dense forests. Known by various names like Kagar, Sankalp, Black Forest and Karreguttalu, the operation deployed 10,000 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action or CoBRA, the District Reserve Guards of the Chhattisgarh Police, the Greyhounds of Telangana and also police personnel. Based on intelligence inputs that about 400 Maoists, including top leaders, were camping in Karreguttalu, the operation was launched surrounding an area of 288 sq km. The 'biggest operation till date', as stated by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, was all through monitored by top officials. The CRPF Director General, G P Singh, even camped in the area till it was called off on May 11. Having suffered massive casualties since the beginning of this year, the Maoists have been on the run from the security forces. Madvi Hidma, Deva Barse and Damodar, top leaders carrying a reward of Rs 1 crore each on their heads, were believed to be ensconced deep in the forests dotted with as many as 216 caves that sheltered the Maoists. Incidentally, the former two hail from village Puvarti in Sukma and are responsible for killing security personnel. A CRPF post near their village in Abujmarh, once considered to be the bastion of the Maoists, had forced them to flee to the dense forests. With three security cordons around him, Hidma has been able to evade the security forces on quite a few occasions. While Hidma commanded the 1st Battalion of the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) till January this year – he is now a central committee member – Deva is the present commander of the PLGA. Though the operation was launched to apprehend or eliminate top leadership and its cadres in the forests, the advantage that the Maoists had by being positioned at vantage points atop the hills worked as a deterrent. The steep climb to the hill at a height of over 700 metres, with mines spread across the entire area, hampered the swift advance of the security forces. Despite utmost precautions exercised by the forces, 18 personnel suffered serious injuries. In an attempt to rescue another commando who had stepped on a mine, Assistant Commandant Sagar Borade of the 204 CoBRA Battalion rushed towards him and stepped on another mine, severely damaging his legs. He had to be airlifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, where his left leg was amputated. In the 21-day-long operation, as many as 31 Maoists, including 15 women, were killed in 21 encounters. Of them, 28 were identified, with some of them carrying combined rewards of Rs 1.72 crore. Over 400 Improvised Explosive Devices were recovered by the forces while scouring the vast area. The extent of preparations made by Maoists to remain confined to the forests can be gauged from the huge stock of rations that could have sustained them for several weeks, if not months. With the recovery of 818 under-barrel grenade launchers, 35 automatic, semi-automatic and INSAS rifles and a large quantity of cordtex wires, the Maoists have suffered a huge setback. The dominance of the security forces over the Karreguttalu hills has driven the Maoists from what, till recently, was considered their impenetrable bastion. Though the top leaders Hidma, Deva and Damodar managed to escape along with others, the redeeming factor is that Maoists have been displaced and are in total disarray. While the Maoists lost 280 of their cadres last year, they have already lost 197 this year, due to the aggressive and incessant operations of the security forces. Twenty security personnel were martyred and sixteen villagers were killed by Maoists on the pretext of being informers. In order to prevent the escapee Maoists from congregating elsewhere, pressure needs to be maintained by gearing up the intelligence in states adjacent to Chhattisgarh and neutralising them. Well-coordinated operations conducted by Maoist-affected states are bound to yield results. Almost vanquished due to the relentless and determined efforts of the security forces, the Maoists have of late been sending feelers to the Centre and Chhattisgarh government for peace talks. With no positive response forthcoming, they are now seeking the intervention of various organisations and activists. Amidst their desperate plea for ceasefire and peace talks, the Maoists ambushed and killed three commandos of Greyhounds in the Nugur forests of Mulugu district in Telangana on May 8. Their intentions, therefore, appear dubious. As feared by the security forces, any ceasefire or peace talks will help them regroup, recruit and replenish their armoury, which in future could harm national interest. In a press conference in Bijapur on May 14, the DG, CRPF, stated that Operation Kagar is the 'beginning of the end' of Naxalism. Let the security forces take it to its logical end and wipe out Naxalism well before the March 2026 deadline set by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The writer was Inspector General of Police, CRPF
Hans India
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
CPI General Secretary demands special Parliament session to discuss Pahalgam attack
Tirupati: CPI All India General Secretary D Raja demanded a special meeting of Parliament to discuss Pahalgam terror attack, aftermath of Indo-Pak conflict and the cease fire. Raja was here to attend the AISF 17th national conference, spoke to media on Thursday he said that before India and Pakistan formally announced cease fire, US president Donald Trump declared it, giving doubts on the US dictating to stop and on US pressure. The Communist leader said that Operation Sindoor launched by the Indian Army is a commendable effort to wipe out terrorists. But the Pahalgam terror attack reveals many lapses on the part of Intelligence and on the measures taken to check terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir. Raja demanded the government to resume talks with Maoist and stop operation Kagar in Chattisgarh which is a clever move to eliminate Naxals and to handover the forests to the corporates, he said. He condemned the police action in Tirupati where they removed Periyar photos put up in the AIYF conference. CPI National Secretary Dr K Narayana, State Secretary K Rama Krishna, Santhosh Kumar, Harinath Reddy, P Murali were present.
NDTV
28-04-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
KCR Urges Centre To Halt Operation Kagar Against Maoists
Hyderabad: Alleging that tribals and youth are being killed in the anti-Maoist operations in Chhattisgarh, BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao urged the Centre to halt the 'operation Kagar'. Addressing a public meeting organised in Hanumakonda district on Sunday to celebrate the silver jubilee of BRS, he favoured holding talks with the CPI (Maoists). "Today, the Central government, in the name of Operation Kagar, is killing youth and tribals in Chhattisgarh. It is not fair," he said. Referring to the reported proposal of Maoists for peace talks, he said eliminating the ultras with the use of force (by the Centre) is not in the spirit of democracy. "I am requesting the Central government. It is not democracy that you go on killing people. Operation Kagar should be stopped immediately. Give naxalites democratic space and hold talks," he said. The former chief minister sought people's acceptance to pass a resolution in this regard and sending it to the Centre. The Maoists had in a purported press note recently, said the Centre and the government of Chhattisgarh (facing the menace of Naxal violence) have jointly launched an operation 'Kagar' against them, what they call a "revolutionary movement". The demand by Rao came on a day when a group of intellectuals and others urged Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to make efforts to persuade the Centre to announce a ceasefire and agree to peace talks with the CPI (Maoists). The group, comprising retired professor Haragopal, retired judge Justice Chandra Kumar, and others, submitted a memorandum to Reddy in this regard. The development comes against the backdrop of intense anti-Maoist operations being carried out by security forces in Chhattisgarh and other states. A massive operation against Naxalites, involving about 10,000 security personnel along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border, continued, with the Maoists purportedly issuing a statement for the fifth day on Friday, in which they called for halting the exercise and holding "peace talks." KCR, who has been keeping a low profile since his party's defeat in the 2023 assembly elections, charged that the Congress government in the state has failed on all fronts, including ensuring effective supply of drinking water and electricity and addressing farmers' issues. Congress made a slew of promises for the sake of power, including increasing social security pensions, scootys to girl students and even one tola gold to brides at the time of marriage, but deceived people after coming to power, he alleged. "None can beat Congress in telling lies. As if the local leaders were not enough, duplicate Gandhis came from Delhi (for election campaign). They clapped and danced on the stage. They said KCR is giving Rs 10,000 for 'Rythu Bandhu' scheme for farmers and we will give Rs 15,000," he said. The Congress government's scheme of free travel for women in state-run RTC buses only ended up triggering petty quarrels (for seats) among women in the buses. The women are now rejecting the scheme, he said. The prices of land in the state have witnessed a sharp fall due to the failures of the Congress government and the newly-formed Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) has demolished the house of the poor, he alleged. Referring to the issue of tree felling in lands next to the University of Hyderabad (UoH), he said the government should use its discretion in selling lands and not the lands of universities. He asserted that the BRS would return to power after the next assembly elections in 2028. KCR, who has faced flak for not coming out in public since the loss of BRS electoral defeat, said he would be active in organising party activities. On Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy's criticism against him for not attending assembly sessions, he said the government is not giving answers even when "children" (an apparent reference to his son and BRS Working President K T Rama Rao) are asking questions. He also referred to the alleged comments of some contractors that commissions are being demanded from them for the release of funds. Congress has always been "villain number one" for Telangana as it merged Telangana with Andhra region to form undivided Andhra Pradesh against people's wishes and later killed 400 youth agitating for Telangana statehood in 1969, he alleged. Training guns on BJP, KCR said the NDA government at the Centre has not given even Rs 11 to Telangana despite being in power for the last 11 years. The Centre has not accorded national status to a single irrigation project in the state, he said. KCR also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's alleged comments in the past about formation of Telangana that the UPA government had killed the mother (implying Andhra Pradesh) to give birth to the child (Telangana). The comments are seen as an insult to Telangana. Dismissing KCR's attack on the Congress government, state Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy challenged the former CM for a debate in the assembly on people's issues at a time of his choice. The Congress government is not only continuing the schemes implemented by the previous BRS government but introduced fresh programmes despite the financial difficulties, Mr Reddy said.
