How its transit route makes Gadchiroli vulnerable to Naxalism

Dotted with hills, thick forests, rivers and a tropical climate with dry conditions prevailing for most of the year, the Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra remains vulnerable to Naxalism.

However, police and regular intelligence-based operations have stepped up the heat on them in the last five years, with over 100-plus CPI (Maoist) commanders and cadres being killed in encounters.

The Naxals, though, are known to retaliate.

With the killing of most-wanted field commander Milind Teltumbde – Left-wing extremism has been dealt a heavy blow in this part of the Vidarbha region.

Also Read | Top Maoist commander Milind Teltumbde among 26 Naxals killed in Gadchiroli

Besides, over the past decade, hundreds of outlaws have surrendered and been rehabilitated.

“It's time when we need to take 100 per cent fool-proof precautions and maintain 24x7 hawk-eyed vigil. We must say that the state police has given a body blow to the outlaws. After several years of sweat, blood and tears, we are getting success,” an official of State Intelligence Department told DH on Sunday.

The intelligence set-up, C-60 crack commando units, the Anti-Naxal Operations (ANO) of Maharashtra Police and the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (COBRA) of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) needs to be credited for their regular success.

“Naxalites are known to re-group and strike back and hence care needs to be taken. Strategically, Maoists conduct operations in an 'ebb and tide' pattern depending on circumstances and pressure from security forces. It is assuring that Maharashtra police carried out this successful operation in the 'tidal phase'. Concentrating presence of Maoist Zonal Leadership itself was evidence of some big armed campaign being planned,” the official said, adding that the recent operation was successful because of "real-time intelligence."

Also Read | Gadchiroli encounter 'major success' for police, intelligence, says Eknath Shinde

The Gadchiroli district is situated on the north-eastern side of Maharashtra and borders Telangana and Chhattisgarh.

“Naxalism is highly prevalent in Gadchiroli district and subsequently has been highlighted as part of the Red Corridor, used to describe areas in India that are plagued by Naxalites. The outlaws take shelter in the dense forest and hills of Gadchiroli district and it is often used as an oscillating point to travel between the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh and Telangana,” the official said.

If one looks at figures, more than 100 Naxals have been killed between 2018-21, several camps have been destroyed and a huge cache of arms and ammunition have been seized.

Between 22-23 April, 2018, more than 40 Maoists including four commanders were killed in the twin encounters in Gadchiroli district by ANO-CRPF, which so far, remains the biggest operation in terms of casualties inflicted on the Naxals.

On 21 May, 2021, 13 outlawed Naxalites were killed in a pre-dawn encounter with police and security forces at Paydi-Kotmi jungles in Etapalli sub-division of Gadchiroli district.

On 11 October, 2021, five Naxals were killed during an encounter at Kosmi-Kisneli jungles of Dhanora located along the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border.

On 3-4 March, 2020, in a successful Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC) against the Naxalites along the Gadchiroli border, an arms manufacturing unit was busted.

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