600 commandos, 15-day plan behind massive op

WITH SUNDAY'S OPERATION, 84 MAOISTS HAVE BEEN NEUTRALISED IN SEPARATE ENCOUNTERS IN CHHATTISGARH SO FAR THIS YEAR, COMPARED TO THE 219 KILLED IN 2024

- Ritesh Mishra

RAIPUR: Locals and surrendered Maoists formed the 600-strong team of trained commandos who carried out one of the deadliest operations against Maoists in the jungles of Bastar region and eliminated 31 extremists on Sunday morning, officials familiar with the matter said.

With Sunday's operation, hailed by Union home minister Amit Shah as a "big achievement" for the security forces, 84 Maoists have been neutralised in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh so far this year, compared to 219 in 2024.

The operation was planned for over a fortnight, with jawans from the Chhattisgarh police's District Reserve Guard, Special Task Force (STF), and Bastar fighters entering the Indravati National Park area through various routes on Thursday morning, the officials said.

A section of the commandos entered the extremists-hit forests through the Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra and the state police facilitated their movement to the Maoists cadres camping in the area.

The gunbattle took place on a forested hill along the border of Manded and Farsegarh police station areas, Bastar range inspector general of police Sundarraj P said.

While the operation began on February 7, at around 8am on Sunday, an intense exchange of fire broke out on the hill, a part of the Indravati National Park. The intermittent gunfight lasted till around 4pm, he said.