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Security forces on Friday launched a decisive fight against the Naxal cadre in insurgency-hit Bijapur Chhattisgarh by mobilising a strong posse of around 10,000 security personnel to the top of Karegutta hill and nearby dense forest areas.
Following precise intelligence inputs about the presence of top Naxal leaders, including most wanted Naxal commanders like Hidma, Damodar, Deva, and others security forces from Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Telangana have been mobilised to cordon off the forest and Karegutta hill in Bijapur, close to the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border, according to police sources. Around 10,000 security personnel from Chhattisgarh's DRG, Bastar Fighter, STF, Cobra, CRPF, Greyhound from Telangana and Maharashtra's C-60 are participating in the biggest ever anti-Naxal operation in the history of India, added the source. Terming the operation as "very crucial", the source said that it would result in finishing off the military strength of the CPI (Maoists) PLGA Battalion-1. Additionally, the Naxals' think tank--Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee and Telangana State Committee are also under target. During the search carried out on the first day of an ongoing operation, security personnel recovered the bodies of three slain cadres along with weapons. "Search at the rough terrain of the encounter spot hints that many more naxals might have been killed and injured in the exchange of fire," the source claimed, adding that an extensive search of the area is ongoing. The source told ANI that the situation is like a test match; the game would last a long time, and every session may not yield very exciting news. "We are hopeful of a very favourable result at the end of this match," said the source. All stakeholders of the central government, the government of Chhattisgarh and neighbouring states are directly or indirectly involved in this crucial mission, he added. Apart from IEDs and fire from the Naxals' side, the hot climate conditions and rough terrain are posing a serious challenge to the jawans in this battle, said the source, claiming that the troops' morale is high to deal with any challenge. As the cadres of the banned outlawed organisation have planted large numbers of IEDs in the area, security personnel are also carrying out de-mining exercises to avert any untoward incident that may involve jawans and civilians, he informed. Reiterating their commitment to weed out armed Naxalism from Chhattisgarh by March 26, 2026, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai have stated repeatedly that bullets will be answered with bullets. Meanwhile, the ministers were frequently seen exhorting naxal cadres to shun the path of violence and join the mainstream of society, stating that the government don't want to fire a single bullet. Since December 3, 2023, after the formation of the BJP government in Chhattisgarh, security forces have gunned down 365 cadres in separate encounters and arrested 1382 Naxals. Moreover, impressed by the surrender and rehabilitation policy of the Chhattisgarh government, 2306 cadres have quit the red movement to join the mainstream of society. So far in 2025, 144 naxals have been neutralised, 367 arrested, and 476 surrendered. (ANI)
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