Operation Kagar: All about the Karregutta hills where central forces are sweeping a Maoists stronghold

On Google Maps, the precise location of a particular hill range which divides Telangana and Chattisgarh reads ‘Carregutta’ and ‘Black Hills’. The local tribals refer to it with various other names. For media, it is Karregutta, the site which may knell a death blow to the decades-long Maoist movement. A hill range, set of 15-20 hills adjoining each other, has overnight become the talking point for those keeping track of news developments.

A few weeks back, a Maoist leader had allegedly warned the local tribal population to not venture around Karregutta as IEDs were planted around it to curtail the forward movement of the security forces. From then on Karregutta remained in focus as thousands of Security forces drawn from CRPF and Chattisgarh police have been combing the tough terrain estimating that hundreds of Maoists are holed up there. 

According to sources, Karregutta has been a unique and strategic home turf for the Maoists. The inhospitable hills stand at an altitude of 5000 metres and remain inaccessible even for a majority of the local population. It has even learnt that the hills provided a perfect cover for Maoists for decades not just to seek shelter but also to conduct military drills and training sessions. 

It is being assumed that some of the top Maoists had stayed here at some point in time. The Karregutta hills extends 25-50 km with waterfalls, caves and narrow valleys at the core of the hills. The security forces, who have been combing for 12 days as part of Operation Kagar with the ultimate aim of neutralising the banned Maoists by 2026, have managed to establish a temporary base camp, hoist an Indian flag and install a mobile communication tower near the hill. This is being seen as a decisive victory for the security forces who have taken control of a strategic location of Maoists unknown to many all these years.  

However, they are yet to completely take control of the hills. The topography and the harsh summer weather are proving to be challenging to the personnel. Searching for IEDs or explosives that may have been planted by the Maoists may also be slowing the onward march of the forces. As the area surrounding the hills has been cordoned off by the central and state forces, locals who belong to Koya, Gond and Chenchu tribes have remained indoors amidst the hovering sounds of helicopters and the noise of explosions. 

As the forces make their way through the hills hoping to find and neutralise the top Maoists, demand is growing in Telangana to halt the military operation and initiate peace talks with the extremists. Telangana Women and Child Welfare Minister Seethakka, a former Naxalite, also joined civil society groups to urge the centre to start talks with Maoists since the tribal population was panicking.