The Chhattisgarh Police on Monday announced the successful execution of a major counter-insurgency operation, Operation Sankalp, which led to the recovery of 31 suspected Maoists’ bodies from the dense forests near the Karregutta hills along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border. The operation, which began on April 21, has been described as one of the largest counter-insurgency missions in Bastar and has resulted in significant operational gains.
Bijapur Superintendent of Police, Jitendra Yadav, stated that detailed information regarding the operation would be shared in a press briefing scheduled for Wednesday in Bijapur. The identities of 20 of the 31 deceased Maoists have been confirmed, and 11 of them have already been handed over to their families after completing post-mortem and legal formalities. The identification process for the remaining bodies is underway.
Earlier, in the course of the same operation, a woman Maoist was killed on April 3, with her identity still unknown. Additionally, three women Maoists were gunned down in the region on April 24, and a significant stockpile of weapons, explosives, and other materials was seized.
Since the start of Operation Sankalp, there have been over 35 encounters between security forces and Maoist militants. Around 280,000 troops have been deployed to tackle the insurgency, with personnel from various units, including the Chhattisgarh Police’s District Reserve Guard (DRG), Bastar Fighters, Special Task Force (STF), and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), joining forces with the elite CoBRA unit.
The operation focuses on neutralizing Maoist hideouts in the region, with intelligence reports suggesting the presence of top Maoist leaders from the Telangana state committee and the notorious ‘battalion number 1’—the Maoists’ strongest military wing. The Karregutta hill range has been identified as a key stronghold for the Maoists, with several senior cadres reportedly killed or critically injured during the operation.
In addition to the Maoist casualties, the operation has yielded a massive haul of military-grade materials. Authorities have recovered over 400 improvised explosive devices (IEDs), 40 weapons, and approximately two tonnes of explosives. Hundreds of Maoist hideouts and bunkers have been destroyed, and large quantities of food supplies and daily-use items have been confiscated.
Although six security personnel from the STF, DRG, and CoBRA units sustained injuries during the operation due to pressure IED blasts, they are reported to be out of danger.
With the latest success of Operation Sankalp, a total of 168 Maoists have been killed in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh this year. Of these, 151 have been eliminated in the Bastar division, which includes Bijapur and surrounding districts.
Authorities have vowed to continue their efforts to eradicate Maoist insurgency in the region, with the primary goal of ensuring peace and stability in the Bastar region, long known as a Maoist stronghold.
Sources By Agencies