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India Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
How Gadchiroli moved on from rifle bore to iron ore
Today, when trains halt at Chandrapur and Ballarpur (formerly Balharshah) stations in eastern Maharashtra's Vidarbha region, passengers often get down on the quiet platforms to grab a cup of tea with vada paos and freshly fried banana is a stark contrast to how things used to be here just a decade ago — platforms had hardly any shops, and passengers rarely opened their coach doors. It's because Chandrapur, which borders the Maoism-hit district of Gadchiroli, was once equally scarred by Left-Wing Extremism (LWE).advertisementInterestingly, Gadchiroli, a hotbed of Maoist activity, was carved out of the larger Chandrapur district back in 1982. Chandrapur has been an industrial town since the 1970s — rich in coal mines, with a ferro alloy plant and a super-thermal power station. Most importantly, its neighbouring district has been Nagpur, a significant mainstream the other hand, Gadchiroli, equally rich in natural resources such as iron ore and forest produce, was defined more by its 76% forest cover, and its proximity to Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, India's most dangerous Maoist fact, until the late 2000s, Chandrapur was severely affected by LWE. But today, only sporadic incidents are reported, and the district no longer features among the Union Home Ministry's 38 LWE-affected after sunset, when trains pass through the Chandrapur-Ballarpur stretch, windows and doors remain shut due to the lingering fear of eyes watching from the surrounding fear stems from an incident that remains fresh in people's minds. Around 50 masked Maoists attempted to set a Mumbai-bound passenger train on fire in Chandrapur in up of railway tracks using dynamite was also common in the until a decade ago, this fear persisted even during the day. But today, just about 80 kilometres from Gadchiroli, when passengers step off the train, it signals an improvement not only in the law-and-order situation but also in the overall security perception of the progress appears to be spilling over into neighbouring Gadchiroli as well.A BEACON OF HOPE FORGED IN IRON OREToday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will inaugurate the first phase of a 5-Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA) iron ore grinding plant and a 10 MTPA slurry pipeline project at Hedri in Gadchiroli – the first operational iron ore slurry pipeline in the state, giving a much-needed infrastructural and industrial boost to the ore mining began in Gadchiroli's Surjagarh area in 2016, but the new iron ore beneficiation plant is the first dedicated facility of its kind in a district where the economy is primarily driven by forest produce and will also lay the foundation stone for several projects in the Maoist insurgency-affected region, including a 4.5 MTPA integrated steel plant at Konsari, a 100-bed multi-speciality hospital, a school, and the 116-acre Lloyds Township. Lloyds is India's leading iron ore bringing development to a region hasn't been 2010 to 2020, over 50 security personnel have lost their lives here. But there are positive signs too. Not a single fatality from among the security forces has been reported since 2020 in Gadchiroli, only the Gadchiroli Police's elite C-60 commandos, backed by CRPF units and drone surveillance, are disrupting Maoist networks with more force than ever MAOISTS SURRENDERED IN HORDES IN MAHARASHTRAOver the last five years, more than 70 Maoists, with a collective bounty of Rs 2.8 crore, have surrendered in Gadchiroli primary reason for this has been disillusionment with Maoist ideology. Additionally, the Surrender and Rehabilitation policy, which offers an immediate grant of Rs 5 lakh for higher-ranked LWE cadres, and Rs 2.5 lakh for middle/lower-ranked cadres per surrender, has also seemingly served as a major 2005, as many as 704 Maoists have surrendered in to officials, only 40 Maoist cadres remain on record and just 24 are active armed cadres in Gadchiroli, according to intelligence sources, reported The Indian Express in recent surrenders include that of Vimala Chandra Sidam, who had a bounty of Rs 25 lakh and gave herself up in January this year, and Nangsu Tumaretti, who surrendered last year with a bounty of Rs 41 of the biggest blows to the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) came in 2021, when top fugitive commander Milind Teltumbde, brother of noted academic and writer Anand Teltumbde, was among 26 Maoists killed in an encounter in Gadchiroli. A central committee member of the CPI (Maoist), Teltumbde carried a bounty of Rs 50 2021, security forces have neutralised at least 56 Maoists in encounters in all comes amid Union Home Minister Amit Shah's declared deadline to end Maoism by March 31, IN GADCHIROLI IS A SLOW BURNThese successes are largely credited to the fact that Gadchiroli has mostly had influential or firebrand leaders as its guardian ministers. Over the past 25 years, the district has been overseen by former Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil, former CM (now Deputy CM) Eknath Shinde, senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar, and current CM Devendra has been a significant contribution from the people too. It must be noted that in the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, Gadchiroli recorded the second-highest voter turnout in the state at 73.68%, surpassing Mumbai (52.07%) and Pune (60.7%), showing the region's strong engagement with the democratic BJP's Milind Ramji Narote is the MLA from of now, according to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Maoist insurgency in Maharashtra is limited to just two districts, Gadchiroli and claim in June, however, raised eyebrows as Fadnavis had declared part of Gadchiroli, particularly the northern part of the district, "free of Maoist activities" over five months ago and asserted south Gadchiroli would also soon be rid of the Maoist the latest groundwork for one of the most significant development projects in this Maoist-affected district may change the region's development projects come shortly after the state government passed the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, aimed at combating LWE and "urban Maoism". Introduced in the Assembly by Fadnavis himself, the law empowers the state to declare organisations unlawful, seize their assets, and impose prison terms ranging from 2 to 7 years for involvement in such INITIATIVES HAVE PLAYED A BIG ROLESeveral other initiatives also signal change in the Red the unique "Ek Gaon, Ek Granthalaya" ("One Village, One Library") programme, 71 libraries have been set up over the past two years, enroling more than 8,000 students and providing access to books and learning resources in remote May, Gadchiroli got Maharashtra's first state-of-the-art inflatable theatre. The facility features an air-conditioned auditorium, Dolby 5.1 surround sound, and push-back seating, with tickets priced at Rs 100, offering residents a modern cinema experience amid have been quiet contributors too. In the midst of insurgency, individuals like Dr Abhay and Dr Rani Bang have been providing low-cost healthcare to both tribals and local community since the by insurgency, their NGO, SEARCH (Society for Education, Action and Research in Community Health), based in Shodhgram, Gadchiroli, has been pioneered maternal and child health. They train tribal women to deliver neonatal care, and have significantly reduced infant mortality in the bamboo economy offers hope for the region. Reports suggest that villages like Mendha Lekha have benefited through direct sales of bamboo, bypassing middlemen and boosting farmers' incomes. The Forest Rights Act, 2006, which enables tribal villagers to harvest and sell bamboo directly, is proving successful in certain villages of Gadchiroli a region that has been gripped by the roots of Red terror for decades, change may be slow. But the much-needed push for infrastructure signals a potential turning education, and healthcare in the hinterland could further weaken the ideological hold of Maoist groups.- Ends
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
No More Likes, Leaks or Reels: Chhattisgarh security forces go offline social media to keep ops secret in Red zone
Representational image RAIPUR: In a sweeping new directive aimed at enhancing troop safety and operational integrity, security forces deployed in Maoist-affected Bastar division of Chhattisgarh, have been directed to delete all social media applications from their mobile phones. The directive comes amid rising concerns that viral content 'shared inadvertently by personnel' was compromising operational secrecy and putting lives at risk. The order issued by Bastar range inspector general of police P Sundarraj, applies to jawans and officers deployed across all seven districts of Bastar, where anti-Maoist operations are frequently conducted under extreme conditions. Speaking to TOI, Bastar IG P Sundarraj said, 'It in view of confidentiality of anti-Naxal operations and the safety of personnel involved in those operations. The directives have been issued to all security force personnel deployed in Left-Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected areas with regard to usage of social media platforms. 'To ensure that no sensitive or classified information is inadvertently shared online, few proactive steps have been taken as a part of our broader strategy to strengthen security protocols and safeguard the identity and confidentiality of our forces. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Inadvertent use of social media during high-risk operations poses significant security concerns, therefore, all concerned personnel have been urged to exercise utmost caution and strictly adhere to the guidelines issued in this regard,' IG Sundarraj told TOI. The decision reportedly follows a spate of incidents where sensitive photos, videos, and updates from live encounters were circulated online, including footage from a recent operation involving top Maoist leader Basva Raju. The viral material revealed details that could be used by Maoist operatives to understand troop movement and tactics. Digital Silence for Tactical Safety According to the directives, security personnel have now been asked to completely remove apps like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube from their phones, refrain from uploading or consuming social media content during and after operations, avoid using mobile phones unnecessarily while on duty in sensitive zones, submit their phones for post-operation checks to detect any possible information leaks and abstain from any form of photography, videography, or voice recordings during missions. It's about the safety of our men and the success of operations. Social media can't become a weak link in our tactical planning, IG said. Bastar remains one of the most intense conflict zones in India, with at least two worst and insurgency-hit districts of the country. In such terrain, where visibility, coordination, and strategy are already challenged by weather and geography, the added risk of digital leaks has become a top concern. By enforcing digital silence and increased scrutiny, the police hope to preserve operational integrity, protect their personnel from legal and physical risks, and reduce the psychological warfare advantage often gained by Maoist propaganda units through online material, an official said.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Encounter in Chhattisgarh's Abujhmad, 6 Maoists killed
Six Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Abujhmad area of Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district on Friday, authorities said. This takes the total number of Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh to 221 including 204 in Bastar region, this year so far, which is more than last year when 219 Maoists were killed in the state including 217 in Bastar region. The encounter broke out in the afternoon in an undisclosed location in Abujhmad. Based on intelligence inputs, joint teams of security forces launched a search operation. During the operation, intermittent encounters between the security forces and Maoists took place. 'So far, six bodies have been recovered. Weapons including AK 47 rifle and SLR rifle recovered so far. The dead Maoists are being identified,' said Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj P. 'As the operation is still in progress, further details cannot be shared at this moment in order to ensure the safety of the personnel involved,' he added. In June this year Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited Chhattisgarh to review the anti-maoist operations to ensure Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) is eradicated from India by March 2026. In his public speech, Shah had said, 'I want to say this to the people of Chhattisgarh before I go… Every year during the rainy season, Naxals used to get some rest. But this time, we will not allow them to sleep even during the rains, and will move forward to achieve our March 2026 goal.'
The Hindu
11-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Mobile hospital inaugurated in Pusuguppa village under the Centre's SCA scheme for LWE-affected areas
To provide prompt healthcare services to the needy in Telangana's remote tribal pockets in Bhadrachalam Agency area, a mobile hospital was inaugurated at Pusuguppa village in the Charla mandal of Bhadradri Kothagudem district, bordering Chhattisgarh. The mobile hospital/telemedicine building was inaugurated by Bhadrachalam MLA Dr. Tellam Venkata Rao in the presence of the district Collector Jitesh V. Patil and Superintendent of Police B. Rohith Raju in Pusuguppa village on Friday. The facility, set up under the Special Central Assistance (SCA) scheme at an estimated cost of Rs 1 crore, will cater to the healthcare needs of adivasis living in several remote tribal villages in the Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas along the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border. An ambulance was flagged off by the MLA at the newly inaugurated facility on the occasion. The mobile hospital will help fill the critical gaps in the public health infrastructure in the remote tribal pockets of Bhadrachalam Agency, sources said. It will also offer emergency medical services to the needy in the forested border region. The MLA lauded the initiative of the district police in improving road connectivity and healthcare services in far flung areas of Charla mandal, inhabited by adivasis.
The Hindu
04-07-2025
- The Hindu
Police intensify outreach initiatives in remote tribal habitations, distribute mosquito nets to Gutti Koya Adivasis
Ahead of the peak monsoon season, the Laxmidevipalli police distributed mosquito nets and blankets to 27 Gutti Koya Adivasi families at a tribal habitation near Gangamma Colony in Bhadradri Kothagudem district on Friday. The outreach initiative was part of the district police's 'Community Connect' programme aimed at reaching out to people living in far-flung tribal habitations with a focus on the Left-Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected areas. The police personnel led by Superintendent of Police B. Rohit Raju visited the Gutti Koya habitation as part of scaled-up outreach initiatives in the tribal-dominated district, bordering Chhattisarh's Bastar region, the hotbed of Maoist activity. Speaking to the tribal people on the occasion, the SP asked them to make effective use of the mosquito nets and take precautions in the current monsoon season to keep vector-borne diseases at bay. He also urged them to alert police if they notice any suspicious movements in the area or if they spot strangers. Additional SP (Operations) G. Narender, Kothagudem DSP Abdul Rahman and others were present.
