Mumbai: Maharashtra has been declared free from armed Maoism, with not a single active armed Maoist remaining on the state's records, following Gadchiroli district becoming free from armed Maoist cadres in May 2026.
The Maharashtra Police made the announcement on Thursday during a programme held at the Office of the Director General of Police (DGP), Maharashtra State, Mumbai, where K. P. Raghuvanshi, IPS (Retd.), founder of the C-60 force, was felicitated by the DGP.
The programme was also organised as a get-together for senior police officers who had previously served in the Gadchiroli Range.
Origins of anti-Maoist campaign
The foundation for Maharashtra's fight against Maoism was laid by Raghuvanshi in 1990. In the early 1980s, armed Maoist squads (dalams) entered South Gadchiroli from the Telangana region, marking the spread of the Maoist movement into Maharashtra.
After Gadchiroli district was carved out of Chandrapur in 1982, its sparse administrative presence and scattered tribal settlements were exploited by Maoists, who took advantage of local issues related to tendu leaves, bamboo and forest rights.
By 2009-10, 379 armed Maoists were active in Gadchiroli through two companies, four platoons and nine dalams, while 57 Maoists were active in Gondia district. The police said traditional policing methods were inadequate due to the district's 76 per cent forest cover, landmines and IEDs planted on roads, language barriers and the shelter provided by Abujhmad across the inter-state border.
C-60 force takes shape
Against this backdrop, Raghuvanshi, then Superintendent of Police, Gadchiroli, established the C-60 force on December 1, 1990, with just 60 selected personnel. His vision was to recruit local youth familiar with the terrain and fluent in Gondi and Madiya languages to fight Maoists on their own terrain.
A second branch of the force was established for South Gadchiroli in 1994. Today, the C-60 force has 29 teams comprising 961 personnel in Gadchiroli and nine teams comprising 166 personnel in Gondia. The force is supported by 164 drones, 64 Mine-Protected Vehicles (MPVs), 20 Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) teams and 17 dog squads.
According to the Maharashtra Police, 244 police officers and personnel have made the supreme sacrifice in the anti-Maoist fight across the state, while 609 civilians have been killed by Maoists.
Major operations mark campaign
The police said that, during anti-Maoist operations so far, 363 Maoists have been killed, 558 arrested and 861 have surrendered. Several encounters marked key milestones in the four-decade-long campaign. In the 2018 Boriya-Kasnasur encounter, 40 Maoists were killed. In the 2021 Mardintola encounter, 27 Maoists, including Central Committee member Milind Teltumbde, were killed. Another 12 Maoists were killed in the 2024 Wandholi encounter.
At the beginning of 2026, Gadchiroli Police killed Maoist commander Prabhakar in the Fodewada encounter. According to the police, Prabhakar had earlier posed a major challenge to Greyhounds personnel. The operation was conducted in the border area of Chhattisgarh, with police personnel remaining awake for three days and three nights.
In May 2026, during the final phase of the anti-Maoist campaign, a special search operation was conducted along the Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Telangana border areas. Under Operation "Antim Prahar", eight Maoists were arrested, while five surrendered before the Gadchiroli Police.
Surrenders mark final phase
The police said that 819 armed Maoists in Gadchiroli district have so far abandoned violence and chosen to return to the mainstream. Among the significant surrenders were those of DKSZC member Giridhar Tumreti and his wife Lalita, DKSZC member Tarakka, and Politburo and Central Committee member Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Bhupati. Bhupati surrendered in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis along with 61 associates and 54 firearms.
The police described Bhupati's surrender as a historic moment in the country's anti-Maoist campaign. Following his surrender, a total of 1,070 Maoists across the country have surrendered along with 637 firearms. For their contribution to the anti-Maoist operations, C-60 officers and personnel of the Maharashtra Police have been awarded three Shaurya Chakras, six President's Police Medals for Gallantry, 358 Police Medals for Gallantry and 22 President's Police Medals for Meritorious Service.
Also Watch:
C-60 personnel honoured
In 2025, the Maharashtra government announced the C-60 Service Medal for the first time. A total of 425 police officers and personnel of the Gadchiroli Police Force have been honoured with the C-60 Service Medal. During the programme, the contributions of police officers, personnel and C-60 party commanders who carried forward Raghuvanshi's vision were also commemorated. The contribution of CRPF and SRPF personnel who fought alongside the Maharashtra Police was acknowledged.
The police also expressed gratitude to the families of the 244 police personnel who made the supreme sacrifice during the state's anti-Maoist struggle.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
