Context:
About Operation:
Launched on April 21, 2025, the operation was jointly executed by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Special Task Force (STF), District Reserve Guard (DRG), and Telangana's elite Greyhounds unit.
· It targeted the Maoist stronghold deep in the Karreguttalu Hills (also referred to as Kurraguttalu), a region long considered impenetrable due to its rugged terrain and forest cover.
About Naxalism:
Naxalism, also known as Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), is a significant internal security challenge in India. It originated in 1967 in Naxalbari, West Bengal, as a peasant uprising led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (CPI-ML).
· The movement is driven by socioeconomic disparities, land disputes, and tribal rights issues, affecting multiple states, including Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and Maharashtra, forming the 'Red Corridor'
India's strategy to eliminate Naxalism:
India's strategy to eliminate Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) includes a comprehensive, multi-pronged approach that seeks to strike a balance between security enforcement, socio-economic development, and community empowerment.
Development Initiatives: These initiatives aim to address the root causes of Naxalism—namely poverty, alienation, and lack of infrastructure—in affected areas. These include:
- Road Connectivity (PMGSY-II): Enhances access to remote tribal areas, facilitating both development and security operations.
- Eklavya Model Residential Schools: Expands educational opportunities for tribal children, addressing long-term socio-economic disparities.
- Mobile Connectivity (USOF/Digital Bharat Nidhi): Reduces isolation of tribal communities and enables better administration and citizen services.
Security Operations: Recognizing the immediate threat posed by armed insurgents, the government has also implemented robust security measures such as:
- Operation Green Hunt: A coordinated paramilitary campaign to dismantle Naxalite strongholds.
- Deployment of CAPFs, CoBRA, and Greyhounds: Specialized counter-insurgency units are trained for guerrilla warfare and jungle operations.
Legal and Governance Framework: India’s legal approach seeks to suppress insurgent activities while protecting tribal rights and promoting decentralized governance.
- Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA): Used to ban Naxalite groups and prosecute their members.
- Forest Rights Act (2006): Recognizes traditional rights of forest dwellers, reducing tribal alienation.
- PESA Act (1996): Empowers Gram Sabhas in Scheduled Areas to manage natural resources and local governance.
- To encourage defection from extremist ranks, the government offers rehabilitation for surrendered Naxals.
Progress made so far:
Data from the Ministry of Home Affairs and CRPF highlight the progress made over the past decade:
- Naxal-affected districts reduced from 126 in 2014 to 18 in 2025
- Most severely affected districts dropped from 35 to just 6
- Violent incidents fell from 1,080 (2014) to 374 (2024)
- Security personnel deaths declined from 287 (2014) to 19 (2024)
- 2,089 Maoists eliminated since 2014
- 928 Naxals surrendered in 2024, with 718 surrendering in 2025 (so far)
Conclusion:
This operation marks a decisive shift in the government’s long-running war against Left-Wing Extremism. It sends a strong signal that no safe haven will be tolerated for insurgents. As India pushes forward to meet its 2026 goal of a Naxal-free nation, the Karreguttalu success may be remembered as a defining moment—both militarily and symbolically.
