Top rank Maoist cadres were killed in the operation.
The Chhattisgarh Police have released a video of the 21-day-long comprehensive operation against the Maoists in the dense forests around Karregutta Hills, on the state's border with Telangana, that left at least 31 Maoists dead.
The eight-minute video, released during a press briefing on Wednesday, shows the rough mountainous terrain and the extreme difficulties faced by the forces in reaching the Maoist stronghold. It shows the various challenges associated with the task - from mountaineering-like climbs to high-stakes encounters.
As part of operation "Black Forest", the security personnel are seen climbing the steep slopes of hills using ropes, and dodging hidden explosives. The jawans are also seen passing through spaces in between boulders and rocks, to avoid getting detected by the Maoists, in a bid to carry out the operation.
Top rank cadres like Area Committee Members (ACMs) and Divisional Committee Members (DVCMs) were among the 31 Maoists killed by security forces during the operations.
More than 450 IEDs were recovered and defused, and hundreds of weapons, including Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL), INSAS rifles, self-loading rifles and air guns were seized.
The indigenously-built Mega Sniper rifles were also recovered from a Maoist arms factory - a first in anti-Maoist operations. Besides, a handwritten manual detailing how to build sniper rifles, with technical details, was also found.
Chhattisgarh Director General of Police Arun Dev Gautam said four Maoist arms factories were busted during the operation. The Maoists had stocked enough ration for two years, assuming that the area was impenetrable to security forces.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday termed the operation as a historic breakthrough by security forces in the resolve to make the country Maoist-free.
He also said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government is determined to root out Naxalism. "I once again assure the countrymen that India is sure to be Naxal-free by March 31, 2026," he wrote in a post in Hindi on X.
The police have registered 17 First Information Reports (FIRs) related to the operation in which the help of the National Investigation Agency is also being sought, officials said.
