After Biggest Op Against Maoists, Tricolour At 'Red Terror' Hill: Amit Shah
The killing of 31 Maoists at Karregutta Hill on the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border this week - the result of 'India's largest anti-Maoist operation', which sources said also recovered 450 IEDs and 40 weapons - has been hailed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah as an "historic" achievement.
Source said a large quantity of ammunition, detonators, and explosive devices, besides 12,000kg of other materials, such as medicine and electric equipment was also seized.
And, in addition, four factories producing weapons, motors, and cutters were found.
On Wednesday, Mr Shah said, "The hill, once ruled by red terror, now proudly waves the tricolour", and underlined the government's resolve to "eradicate Maoism" by March 2026.
Karregutta Hill, he declared, was once the 'unified headquarters' of major Maoist groups, and where battle strategies were drawn up, weapons developed, and fighters trained.
"This largest operation was completed by our security forces in just 21 days... and I am immensely delighted there was not a single casualty among forces in this operation."
The Central Reserve Police Force and from Chhattisgarh Police's Special Task Force and District Reserve Guard took part in this operation, and were congratulated by Mr Shah, for having "faced the Maoists with courage and valour... The nation is proud of you."
An estimated 2,000+ troops took part in the operation to regain control of Karregutta Hill.
CRPF chief General GP Singh said the 31 killed had a combined Rs 1.72 crore bounty, and their deaths and the re-capture of Karregutta is 'the beginning of the end' for Maoism.
Twenty-eight of the bodies have been identified so far, he told reporters.
READ | 'Committed To Eliminating Maoism By March 2026': CRPF Chief
Early inquiries reveal many of those killed were among the senior leadership, he said.
"What we set out to do... we have achieved more than that. We are confident and happy - this is the beginning of the end, and we will achieve the target of eliminating Maoism by March 31, 2026," he said, noting also that the number of dead Maoists may increase.
He pointed to the drastic decrease in 'Maoist-affected' districts - from 35 in 2024 to six this year. Nearly 1,000 Maoists surrendered in 2024... 718 so far this year, he said.
Last month Mr Shah called on Maoists, in Chhattisgarh or other states, to lay down arms and return to the mainstream, pointing to the benefits of schemes sponsored by the federal and state governments, both of which are ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party.
'Black Hill Of Karregutta'
Twelve days ago NDTV reported on the final push to capture the infamous 5,000-feet tall 'black hill' - long considered an unbreachable fortress of the Maoist movement.
Among the hill's secrets was Madavi Hidma, the shadowy mastermind of Battalion No 1 and someone branded as one of the top, if not most dreaded, names in the Maoist hierarchy.
It is unclear if Hidma - credited with organising as many as 26 attacks, including the one in Dantewada in 2010 and Sukma in 2017 - was captured or was among the 31 killed.
The operation to recapture Karregutta began April 22.
NDTV Exclusive | Karregutta: Battle To Reclaim Chhattisgarh's Final Maoist Frontier
Two of its three ridges fell swiftly but the third, Karregutta itself, resisted for a while.
But, after taking the upper hand on the ninth day, troops were air-dropped at strategic locations and, evading landmines and hidden IEDs, moved towards 'ground zero' - the mouth of a cave system so big 'even voices get lost in there' and from which attacks were planned and launched.
"This is the biggest anti-Maoist op in the country. I salute the courage of our forces, operating in scorching heat, rugged terrain, without shade or water," Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai said then.
With input from agencies
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