In one of the bloodiest anti-Maoist operations in recent years, 26 Maoists have been reported dead in a fierce firefight with security personnel in the dense Abujhmad area, covering Narayanpur and bordering districts of Chhattisgarh. The operation, which was launched more than 50 hours ago, was confirmed by state Home Minister Vijay Sharma.
Top Maoist cadres among the dead are estimated. The operation, commanded by the Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur, and Kondagaon district-based District Reserve Guard (DRG), was conducted after precise intelligence inputs that a top Maoist commander was hiding in the forested areas of Abujhmad.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai accepted the operation on Tuesday and said, “A Naxal operation has been underway since yesterday, in which our DRG personnel are actively involved. The operation is still ongoing, and the exact details will be shared once it is completed. We salute the courage of our brave jawans.”
Vast Terrain, High Stakes
Abujhmad, a densely forested and all but unsurveyed area—bigger than Goa—is still one of India’s most inaccessible and Maoist-dominated areas. Although the majority of it is under Narayanpur, parts of it stretch into the Bijapur, Dantewada, Kanker, and Gadchiroli districts of Maharashtra.
The region has historically been a preferred hideout and citadel of Maoist command centers, and that has made the security forces’ job in the area extremely tough.
Recent Offensive Builds Momentum
This new attack is just a month after a large-scale operation code-named ‘Black Forest’ was launched along the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border in the Kareguttalu hills. That operation, launched on April 21 and continuing for 21 days, saw 31 Maoists killed, including some top leaders of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA)’s Battalion 1.
Security troops had earlier confirmed that top Maoist leaders, such as Hidma Madvi, one of India’s most wanted insurgent leaders, were present. Among the dead in the April shootout was a 16-year-old, prompting new concerns about child recruitment by the rebels.
As of Tuesday, search and sanitisation operations are ongoing in Abujhmad, with senior officials keeping a close watch on the situation. Fresh updates are expected from the ground.
Bureau Report
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