Chhattisgarh: Security Forces Close In on Maoist Stronghold in Karregutta
Besides, several Maoists hideouts including a huge cave and Naxal arms dumps were found in the area.
Raipur: Security forces may reclaim the Karregutta hill along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border, known as the red stronghold, within a week, a senior police officer monitoring the biggest as well as the longest counterinsurgency operation being carried out in the forested rough terrain, said on Friday.
The large contingent of security forces comprising around 24,000 jawans have already taken control of two hills, Dobe and Neelam Sarai, from Maoist control on their way to the Karregutta hill.
They are now about 35 km away from the Karregutta hills where several top Maoist leaders carrying bounties of crores of rupees are believed to be holed up, the police officer said, requesting not to be quoted.
The anti-Naxal operation involving security personnel drawn from district reserve guard (DRG), special task force (STF), Bastar Fighters, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and CoBRA, the elite counterinsurgency wing of CRPF, launched to free around 800 sq km area from the Maoist control, entered 12th day on Friday.
Three female Maoists were killed in a gunbattle during the operation on April 24.
Besides, several Maoists hideouts including a huge cave and Naxal arms dumps were found in the area.
Security personnel are trekking the forested hilly terrain to clear the vast area, considered the core area of Maoists, sources said.
The area along the interstate border falls under Bijapur district in south Bastar of Chhattisgarh and Bhadradri- Kothagudem in Telangana.
“Security forces have already covered around 50 percent of the 800 sq km area”, a police officer posted in Bastar told this newspaper, requesting anonymity.
The reclaiming of the 800 km area from the Maoist control by the security forces will shatter the backbone of Maoist movement, the police officer said.
“It may turn out to be the decisive battle against Maoists”, he added.
