"Surrender Or Perish": 10,000 Soldiers Encircle Maoists In Biggest-Ever Op

On the jagged hills where three states meet - Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Maharashtra - war drums are echoing once again. The forest breathes heavily, the trees stand still, and gunpowder hangs in the air like a silent threat. The deadliest chase of the decade has begun, and this time, there's no way out for the Red rebels.

For the first time, security forces, in their official press release, have referred to the operation against Maoists as a "decisive campaign"

A massive coordinated offensive - the biggest-ever anti-Maoist operation - is underway in the dense forests of Karregatta, Nadpalli, and Pujari Kanker, where nearly 10,000 elite commandos have encircled the stronghold of 'Naxal Battalion No. 1'. For Maoists, it's now a "surrender or perish" situation. Trapped atop hills mined with Improvised Explosive Devices and surrounded by soldiers from all three states, the once-feared battalion stares at its deadliest reckoning.

Forces have encircled Maoists who are on top of a hill

Forces have encircled Maoists who are on top of a hill

For the last 72 hours, the security forces have camped on the razor's edge - climbing ridges, dodging snipers, and navigating booby-trapped terrain. C-60 commandos, Telangana's Greyhounds, and Chhattisgarh's DRG have cut off every possible escape route. Top Maoist commanders, including Hidma, Damodar, Deva, and Vikas, along with hundreds of Maoists, are believed to be cornered.

Three women Maoists have died in the crossfire - a sign, sources say, that the battle is heating up.

Meanwhile, intelligence suggests a critical advantage for the forces: Maoists are low on food and water. Their supply chains from Venkatpuram and Poorvati - once lifelines of logistics - have been severed. Helicopters hover above, drones zoom silently, and on the ground, troops on the move with a week's ration, rifles, and relentless focus.

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The forest hill is laced with gunpowder. A warning press note from Maoist Shanta claimed that Karregatta's hills are mined with hundreds of IEDs. Villagers have been ordered to stay away. But the soldiers have moved in, even if it means walking into a maze of explosives.

Every inch is a battlefield. Every tree could be hiding a sniper, and every rock could conceal a trap. Still, the operation intensifies.

Indian Air Force airlifting troops to field area for operation

Indian Air Force is airlifting troops to the field area for the operation.

Behind the scenes, the nerve centre of the mission remains abuzz. Chhattisgarh's Home Minister Vijay Sharma, ADG Vivekanand Sinha, Inspector General CRPF Rakesh Agarwal, and Bastar IG Sundarraj P are monitoring every move.

Security forces in Chhattisgarh have killed more than 300 Maoists in encounters over the past two years. A total of 163 were gunned down in 10 major encounters in 2024, while 142 were killed in 11 separate operations in just the first three months of 2025.

Major Encounters in 2024: 163 Maoists Killed

  1. November 22, 2024: 10 Maoists were killed in an encounter in Sukma district.
  2. October 4, 2024: One of the deadliest encounters of the year took place in Suluguli, where 38 Maoists were neutralized.
  3. September 3, 2024: In Dantewada, 9 Maoists were shot dead.
  4. June 15, 2024: 8 Maoists were killed in the Abujhmad forests, a heavily forested and inaccessible region.
  5. May 23, 2024: Another encounter in Rekwai village of Abujhmad led to the death of 8 Maoists.
  6. May 10, 2024: In the Pameli area of Bijapur, 12 Maoists were killed.
  7. April 29, 2024: 10 Maoists were gunned down in Narayanpur.
  8. April 16, 2024: A massive encounter in Kanker district resulted in the death of 29 Maoists.
  9. April 2, 2024: 13 Maoists were killed in Korcholi village of Bijapur.
  10. In 2025: 142 Maoists Eliminated in 11 Operations
  11. March 31, 2025: A woman commander carrying a bounty of Rs 45 lakh was killed along the Dantewada-Bijapur border.
  12. March 29, 2025: 16 Maoists were killed in an encounter on the Sukma-Dantewada border.
  13. March 25, 2025: 3 Maoists killed along the Dantewada-Bijapur border.
  14. March 20, 2025: A joint operation at the Dantewada-Bijapur border resulted in the deaths of 26 Maoists, while 4 more were killed in a separate operation in Kanker.
  15. February 9, 2025: Security forces neutralized 31 Maoists in a fierce gunfight near the Mehda-Farsegarh border in Bijapur.
  16. February 2, 2025: 8 Maoists were killed in the Gangalur area of Bijapur.
  17. January 20-21, 2025: 27 Maoists were killed in a major offensive on the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border.
  18. January 16, 2025: 18 Maoists were gunned down near Pujari village on the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border in Kanker.
  19. January 12, 2025: An encounter in Mehda (Bijapur) led to the killing of 5 Maoists, including two women cadres.
  20. January 9, 2025: 5 Maoists were eliminated near the Sukma-Bijapur border.
  21. January 6, 2025: A tragic incident occurred when an IED blast targeted a vehicle carrying security personnel, killing 8 jawans and one driver.
  22. January 4, 2025: 5 Maoists, including a woman, were killed in an encounter in Jangla forest (Abujhmad), in which one DRG (District Reserve Guard) jawan was martyred.

The sustained operations signal a strategic shift, both at the central and state levels, in eliminating Maoist strongholds. With coordinated efforts from the CRPF, DRG, STF, and local police, the security forces have been able to breach some of the most inaccessible terrains in the Bastar region

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