Thirty-one Maoists, including 16 female Maoists, have been killed in an anti-Maoist operation that lasted for about twenty-one days on Karregutta hill, situated on the Telangana border in the Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh. In a press conference held in Bijapur today, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Director General Gyanendra Pratap Singh, Chhattisgarh Director General of Police Arun Dev Gautam and Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Yadav said that a total of twenty-one encounters took place during this operation, which was conducted from April 21 to the 11th of this month. During this period, a total of thirty-five weapons, including self-loading rifles (SLRs), semi-automatic weapons, and four hundred and fifty IEDs, were recovered. Apart from this, two hundred and fourteen bunkers and Maoist hideouts were destroyed, and about twelve thousand kilograms of ration was also recovered. Of the Maoists killed in this operation, twenty-eight have been identified. A reward of one crore seventy-two lakh rupees had been declared on them. CRPF DG Gyanendra Pratap Singh said that in order to fulfill the government’s resolve to make the country Naxal-free by March 2026, the central security forces, in collaboration with the state police, are continuously conducting anti-Maoist operations.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah to in a social media post, termed this operation as a historic success in the resolve to make India Naxal-free by 31st March next year. He said, Kurraguttalu Hills served as the Unified Headquarters for major Naxal outfits, was not only a training ground but also a center for Naxal strategy planning and weapon manufacturing. The Home Minister said, this largest anti-Naxal operation was successfully completed by the security forces in just 21 days. Mr Shah said, despite harsh weather and the challenging hilly terrain, the country’s brave CRPF, Special Task Force, and DRG jawans faced the Naxals with unmatched courage and valor. He said, the government is committed to eradicating Naxalism from its root.
