A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp has been set up in remote Pallewaya village in Chhattisgarh's Abujhmad region to address the security vacuum and facilitate development works, police said on Saturday. The Pallewaya area, once considered a stronghold of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist), had remained cut off for decades due to dense forests and hostile terrain.
The CRPF camp was jointly set up by Dantewada district police and CRPF's 165th battalion on December 4 in the village, located in a strategically important location in Naxalite-hit Bijapur district along the border of Dantewada district, news agency PTI said, quoting an official. During the process, Maoist memorials in the area were also dismantled. The Bijapur police, 201st battalion of CoBRA (CRPF's elite unit), CRPF's Young Platoons of 231st, 111th and 165th battalions also played a crucial role in establishing the camp.
The camp, set up under the Chhattisgarh government's welfare initiative "Niyad Nella Nar", will be the Forward Operating Base (FOB) of CRPF's 165th battalion, which will help link inaccessible villages of Bijapur and adjoining Narayanpur districts, Dantewada Additional Superintendent of Police RK Barman told PTI.
"The camp was set up despite difficult terrain and adverse weather. Security forces worked at full pace while ensuring their own safety. The establishment of the camp reflects the extraordinary courage, determination and professionalism of the forces, who worked round-the-clock to bring governance to the region," he said.
The establishment of the FOB means residents will now get better roads, electricity, mobile network connectivity, health centres, PDS shops and schools and other essential services available at the camp.
"The Pallewaya FOB will strengthen security, build trust among villagers and pave the way for sustained development. It marks a historic step toward securing the inner regions of Abujhmad and ensuring long-term peace, prosperity and progress for communities living there," Barman told PTI. The Centre has set a deadline of March 31, 2026, to completely eradicate Left-wing extremism.
