In a decisive blow to left-wing extremism, Indian security agencies have successfully brought down one of the last major Maoist strongholds in the forests along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border. The operation, which lasted 21 days, concluded on May 11, and marked a significant turning point in the decades-long fight against Naxal insurgency.

Commencing on April 21 from Bijapur, the large-scale mission involved around 20,000 troops, including teams from the CRPF and Chhattisgarh Police. The forces neutralized 31 Maoist militants, 16 of whom were women, and seized a stockpile of arms and explosives. Officials confirmed the destruction of 214 camps, and the recovery of 35 firearms, 450 IEDs, nearly 900 grenade launcher shells, and large quantities of detonators and food reserves.

According to Bijapur SP Jitendra Kumar Yadav, several high-ranking Maoist leaders may have perished or suffered critical injuries, though rough terrain has hampered full recovery efforts. Many of those killed had bounties totaling over ₹1.72 crore.

CRPF Director General Gyanendra Pratap Singh asserted that the psychological grip of Maoists has been broken. He reiterated Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s vow to eradicate the insurgency by March 31, 2026. Since 2014, the number of severely affected districts has plummeted from 35 to 6, and Naxal-related violence has declined sharply.

Minister Shah hailed the mission as a “historic achievement”, lauding the bravery of personnel who operated without suffering a single loss in an unforgiving and hostile environment.