New Delhi, Sep 3: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah felicitated personnel of the CRPF, Chhattisgarh Police, District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Cobra force in New Delhi for their role in the recently concluded “Operation Black Forest” on Karreguttalu hill.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma were also present. The operation, described as the largest anti-Naxal offensive carried out in the region, resulted in the dismantling of a key Maoist base camp.
Despite the challenging terrain, summer heat and the threat of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), security forces succeeded in destroying the Naxalite supply chain and material dumps established on the hill.
Shah said the success of the operation would be remembered as a defining moment in the history of anti-Naxal efforts. He reiterated that the government’s strategy remained firm: Naxalites must either surrender, be apprehended, or be eliminated. He also underlined the government’s commitment to freeing India of Naxalism by March 31, 2026. The Home Minister noted that decades of Naxal activity had inflicted severe damage on underdeveloped areas, disrupting education, healthcare and the implementation of welfare schemes. With sustained operations, he said, security forces had paved the way for new opportunities and development in a region home to 65 million people, stretching from Pashupatinath to Tirupati. Shah added that the Modi government was taking steps to support security personnel who had suffered injuries in counter-insurgency operations, stressing that their welfare remained a priority alongside the goal of eradicating left-wing extremism.
