Raipur: On a day the nation woke up on Wednesday to the success of Operation Sindoor that destroyed nine terror establishments inside Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), security forces achieved a major success in their operations against Maoists at Karregutta Hills along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border.
At least 15 Maoists were killed during the day, officials confirmed. Search operations are on and the toll may rise, they said. Security forces are engaged in Operation Sankalp, considered India’s biggest strike against Left Wing Extremists. The operation started on April 21 after nearly 20,000 troops of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the elite CoBRA battalions, District Reserve Guards (DRGs) and other units, surrounded about 1,000 armed rebels in their hideout.
Since then, at least 18 Maoists (including the 15 on Wednesday) have been killed. Intelligence reports suggest that top Naxalite commanders like Hidma and Deva are among those surrounded.
On Sunday, a CoBRA officer lost his left leg after stepping on an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by the Maoists. He was trying to rescue a jawan when the incident occurred. According to officials, at least 10 security personnel have been injured over the last 15 days since the assault began. Nearly 2,000 fresh troops were inducted at Karregutta Hills on Monday.
“We are nearing the final stage of operations. Troops are closing in fast. The going has been slow due to the large number of IEDs planted all around. Effective counter-mine operations are underway. We have already recovered a large quantity of weapons and explosives,” an official said.
The Maoist top leadership seem to have realised that time is running out for them. They have been using Over Ground Workers (OGWs) to seek dialogue with the Government. These Maoist sympathisers have been claiming that security forces have killed innocent tribals, something they have not been able to corroborated.
The Government has made it clear that talks can only be held after the unconditional surrender of arms by the Maoists. Union home minister Amit Shah has said that Naxalite-related violence will be brought to an end in the country by March 31, 2026.
Wednesday’s deaths have taken up the losses suffered by Maoists in Chhattisgarh to over 150 in 2025. In 2024, nearly 250 Naxalites had been killed in encounters with security forces in the state.
