In a moment that reshaped the political landscape of conflict-hit central India, democracy reached areas where fear had long held sway. On January 26, the national flag was hoisted for the first time since Independence in 47 villages across Chhattisgarh's Bastar division.
Celebrating Republic Day had remained unthinkable in these regions for decades due to Maoist violence.
The historic flag-hoisting ceremonies were held in villages across Bijapur, Narayanpur and Sukma districts, areas that for years had existed beyond the effective reach of the Indian Republic.
What makes the moment even more stark is what happened just hours earlier.
On January 25, during an active anti-Maoist operation on Karregutta Hill, a series of IED blasts rocked the security forces, injuring 10 soldiers. The explosions occurred while personnel from the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Bastar Fighters, and the elite CoBRA Battalion were advancing through hostile terrain. Of the injured, nine were DRG personnel, and one belonged to the CoBRA unit. All were airlifted to Raipur for treatment.
Yet, even as the wounds were fresh, the resolve did not falter.
On Republic Day morning, the tricolour was unfurled at 13 locations in Bijapur district alone, including the very slopes of Karregutta Hill, once considered an impregnable Maoist fortress. The act was symbolic and defiant, a message that bullets and bombs no longer dictate who celebrates the Constitution.
Karregutta's transformation did not come overnight. A 21-day-long massive anti-Maoist operation, involving nearly 22,000 security personnel, was launched earlier to reclaim the region. During the operation, 36 Maoists were killed, effectively dismantling the Maoist hold over the hill range.
Security officials said the flag was hoisted by personnel of the 196th Battalion of the CRPF and the 204th Battalion of CoBRA at the Tadpala camp, an area that had remained beyond civilian and administrative access for decades.
Just months earlier, in November 2025, security forces had established a permanent camp in Tadpala village under Usur police station limits, a location previously known as a safe haven for senior Maoist leadership.
Police had then revealed the scale of the Maoist arsenal seized: 35 weapons, over 450 IEDs, detonators, explosive materials, medical supplies, electrical equipment, and Maoist literature-evidence of how deeply militarised the region had been.
