Source: ANI
Context: In one of India’s largest anti-Naxal operations, 31 Maoists were killed in Operation Black Forest, conducted in Kurraguttalu Hills on the Chhattisgarh–Telangana border.
About Operation Black Forest:
- What It Is: A 21-day high-intensity counterinsurgency mission targeting Maoist strongholds in forested hilly terrain.
- Location: Kurraguttalu Hills (KGH), spanning approx. 1,200 sq km along the Chhattisgarh–Telangana border.
- Objective:
- Dismantle Naxal headquarters and operational infrastructure.
- Neutralise top Maoist leadership and regain control over insurgent zones.
- Realise India’s target of eliminating Left Wing Extremism by March 31, 2026.
- Forces Involved: CRPF, including elite CoBRA units, Chhattisgarh Police, Special Task Force (STF), and District Reserve Guard (DRG).
About Karregutta Hills:
- Location: Karregutta Hills lie on the border of Bhadradri Kothagudem district (Telangana) and Sukma district (Chhattisgarh).
- Topography: Spread over 25–50 km, the terrain includes steep hills, caves, waterfalls, and dense forests — ideal for guerrilla warfare and concealment.
- Elevation: Hills rise to nearly 5,000 feet, rendering them largely inaccessible even to locals.
- Local Names: Tribes refer to the hills as Black Hills or Carregutta.
- Tribal Presence: The region is inhabited by Koya, Gond, and Chenchu tribes, many of whom have been caught in the crossfire during decades of insurgency.
- Other Active Maoist Zones: Abujhmad (Chhattisgarh), Malkangiri (Odisha), Gadchiroli (Maharashtra) are other high-intensity Maoist strongholds.
