Nagpur: Maharashtra delivered a decisive blow to the Maoist insurgency, effectively wiping out guerrilla presence in Gadchiroli district through a coordinated 100-hour operation this week, leaving zero active Maoists in police records. This milestone comes 45 days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah's March 31 deadline to eradicate left-wing extremism in the country.
Operation Antim Prahar: A Comprehensive Crackdown
The operation, codenamed Antim Prahar, resulted in eight arrests and five surrenders over four days. The last four members of the Maoists' military wing, Company 10, were neutralized, while two members of the dreaded 'dalam' surrendered before police. The eight arrested guerrillas and five surrendered rebels carried a collective bounty of ₹1 crore announced by the Maharashtra government.
"Gadchiroli is now officially Maoist-free on police records," said SP Gadchiroli, M Ramesh. Senior officials described the day as "the end of Maoist insurgency" in Maharashtra.
Inter-State Operations and Key Arrests
Beyond dismantling Company 10, Gadchiroli police and CRPF jawans conducted an inter-state operation, arresting four Maoists at Rukmapur railway station in Telangana's Vikarabad district on May 12-13. The quartet—Jayaram Gawde, Mukesh alias Lachu Avalam, Vijay Hunga Tamo, and Rajita alias Shambatti Madavi—were involved in the February 7 Fodewada jungle ambush that killed a C-60 commando.
Further raids on May 14 in Kumner and Naitala villages in Gadchiroli led to the arrest of four more top guerrillas, including divisional committee member Raju alias Mangdu Veko and his wife Janni, along with Jyoti alias Samita Potavi and Amati alias Sandhya Idma Podiyam.
Seizures and Surrenders
The operation yielded a cache of 51 arms and ammunition, including two light machine guns, four AK-47s, four self-loading rifles, three INSAS rifles, multiple .303 and 12-bore guns, barrel grenade launchers, hundreds of live rounds, and detonators. Seizures from jungle hideouts in Phodewada, Gundenur, and Naitala included ₹65 lakh in cash, dealing a crippling financial and logistical blow to the outfit.
Additionally, five senior Maoists laid down their arms, including a couple: Madhu alias Bajirao Welda (divisional committee member), his wife Rajani alias Durga (area committee member), Jivan alias Jaggu (party committee member), Mangli Kursam, and Laxmi Punem. Post-surrender, they will receive rehabilitation packages, including ₹8.5 lakh for Madhu and ₹5 lakh each for others, along with additional incentives for the couple and group.
Building on Past Success
"These successes build on the momentum generated by the historic October 2025 mass surrender of 61 Maoists, led by senior Maoist Bhupati," said SP Ramesh. The operation was orchestrated by SP Ramesh, Special IGP Sandeep Patil, DIG Yogesh Kumar, and senior CRPF officers including Ajay Kumar Sharma. "No shots were fired during the arrests, underlining the forces' professional restraint," Ramesh added.
IGP Patil stated, "This comprehensive victory in Maharashtra is expected to accelerate the final eradication of Left-Wing Extremism from remaining affected areas across the country."
