Massive Counter-Insurgency Operation Underway in Karregutta Hills to Flush Out 1,000 Maoists

Karregutta Hills: In one of the largest anti-Naxal operations in India’s history, nearly 24,000 security personnel have surrounded the Karregutta Hills, an 800 sq km Maoist stronghold spanning the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border, in a determined effort to dismantle Left-Wing Extremist (LWE) networks as part of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s resolve to eliminate Naxalism by March 2026.

Despite blistering heat and treacherous terrain, the operation—ongoing for over a week—has cornered an estimated 1,000 Naxalites, including top commanders of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC), Telangana State Committee (TSC), and battalion number one of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA). The forces have issued a final warning to the Maoists: surrender or face neutralisation.

Security personnel from central and state forces—primarily from Chhattisgarh and Telangana—are advancing cautiously due to the high density of pressure bombs and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) scattered across the forested hills. Drones are being deployed for aerial reconnaissance as jawans sweep through thick jungles, unearthing a network of hideouts, bunkers, arms dumps, and even a large natural cave used by insurgents.

“We are documenting each find,” said a senior police official overseeing the operation. “Our priority is to secure the terrain without further loss of life while flushing out entrenched Maoists.”

While only three bodies of female Maoists killed on April 24 have been recovered so far, intelligence inputs indicate heavy casualties on the Maoist side. Sporadic gunfights continue to erupt across the zone, and though some rebels have fled, many remain fortified in their hideouts.

“There is a high probability that some top Maoist leadership is still in hiding within the zone,” the officer said.

The operation’s primary objective is to dismantle the Maoist ecosystem that has operated for decades in the dense forests of south Bastar and adjoining Telangana. The region has long served as a strategic base for training, planning attacks, and storing arms.

So far, three personnel—one each from CoBRA, STF, and DRG—have sustained injuries in IED blasts. Additionally, six others have been hospitalised due to heat-related ailments as temperatures soar to 41°C in the region.

The operation marks a critical phase in the government’s strategy to root out LWE threats. “This mission is not just about territorial control—it is about ensuring long-term peace and development in historically neglected tribal belts,” a senior officer added.

The offensive will persist until the entire 800 sq km Maoist corridor is cleared, officials confirmed.