Chhattisgarh: The District Reserve Guard (DRG) jawans who carried out a successful anti-Naxal operation eliminating 27 Maoists, including top CPI (Maoist) leader and general secretary Basavaraju, were given a hero's welcome in Narayanpur district on Wednesday. Locals gathered to celebrate their bravery, applying ceremonial tilak to the returning personnel and holding a grand civic reception in their honour.
Despite heavy rains, the celebratory atmosphere continued late into the night. Videos widely circulated on social media showed jawans dancing to traditional Bastariya music, a cultural nod to the region's tribal roots. The slain Maoist leaders carried a combined bounty of Rs 13.5 crore.
Operation Black Forest
Named Operation Black Forest, the mission was carried out in the dense Abhujmad forest, located at the tri-junction of Narayanpur, Bijapur and Dantewada districts. Acting on specific intelligence inputs, a joint DRG team from Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur, and Kondagaon launched a coordinated strike. The operation targeted senior Maoist leadership, including politburo members, central committee leaders, Maad division operatives, and cadres from the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA).
Amit Shah Hails Operation
The elimination of Basavaraju, also known as Nambala Keshav Rao, marks a historic moment in India’s decades-long fight against left-wing extremism. Union Home Minister Amit Shah lauded the DRG and security forces for what he called a “landmark achievement.” In a statement on X, Shah wrote, “Today, in an operation in Narayanpur, our security forces have neutralized 27 dreaded Maoists, including Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, the general secretary of CPI-Maoist, the topmost leader and backbone of the Naxal movement.”
Shah stressed the unprecedented nature of the operation, noting that this is the first time in over 30 years that a general secretary-ranked Maoist leader has been eliminated by Indian security forces. He also highlighted that beyond the killings, 54 Naxals were arrested and 84 others surrendered across three states, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Maharashtra, as a result of coordinated anti-Naxal efforts.
The successful execution of Operation Black Forest is being seen as a turning point in the government’s intensified campaign to root out Naxal influence in central India.
