200 elite C-60 commandos dismantle key Maoist base near Maharashtra border

Anti-Naxal op

In a decisive blow to Maoist insurgency, 200 elite C-60 commandos of the Gadchiroli police dismantled a key rebel camp deep in the Abujmarh forests on the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border early Monday morning, following a two-hour gun battle, according to a TOI report.

The operation began late Sunday, based on specific intelligence about the presence of Maoists from the Bhamragarh Local Organisational Squad (dalam) near the newly established Kawande post, around 200 metres from the Chhattisgarh border. The commandos, led by Additional SP (Administration) M Ramesh, navigated through mine-laden, rugged terrain to launch a surprise attack at 6.30 am.

The encounter erupted in the dense Sadar Jungle, with around 15 Maoists opening fire from three different locations. The commandos, who had laid an overnight ambush, retaliated swiftly. Bloodstains found at the site suggest significant Maoist casualties, although no bodies were recovered as the rebels managed to flee using a steep cliff and thick forest cover.

“We had them surrounded on three sides, but the cliff offered an escape route,” Additional SP Yatish Deshmukh was quoted by TOI as saying.

A subsequent search of the area yielded a substantial cache: an INSAS self-loading rifle, a single-shot rifle, ammunition, a detonator, communication devices including walkie-talkies and chargers, and Maoist literature, indicating plans to carry out sabotage as part of their Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC).

A senior police official said the camp’s destruction marks a major success in the ongoing crackdown. “The Special Operations Team has done a commendable job. This nearly wipes out one of the last major guerrilla groups in the region,” the official added, referring to the Bhamragarh dalam — one of only two active formations left, the other being Company No. 10.

According to police records cited by TOI, only around 30 armed Maoists and 15 support members now remain in Gadchiroli district.

The high-risk mission underscores the sustained push by security forces to reclaim Maoist strongholds. The assault on Abujmarh, long considered a rebel sanctuary, highlights both the strategic precision and resilience of the C-60 commandos.