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Regained control over Budha Pahad, last Maoist stronghold in Jharkhand: Centre
The 55-square km Budha Pahad area on the Bihar-Jharkhand border was the last bastion of Maoists in Jharkhand. The security forces had not been able to reach the core area – spread across about 10 sq km, for the last three decades
NEW DELHI: Budha Pahad, a 55 sq km area on the Jharkhand-Chhattisgarh border was freed from Maoists’ control after 32 years following three coordinated operations carried out by the security forces since April this year, the government said on Wednesday.
It said a permanent camp has been set up at the top of the hill and development work has begun.
Subsequently, small jungle areas of Chakrabandha and Bhimabandh in Bihar, which were under Maoists’ influence for decades, have also been reclaimed by the forces.
Union home minister Amit Shah termed the development as a “decisive victory” in the fight against left-wing extremism (LWE), and congratulated the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and other security forces involved in the offensive.
“In 2022, the security forces have achieved unprecedented success in Operation Octopus, Operation Double Bull and Operation Chakrabandha in the fight against left-wing extremists. Seven Maoists were killed and 436 arrested/surrendered in Chhattisgarh; four Maoists were killed in Jharkhand and 120 arrested/surrendered while 36 Maoists arrested/surrendered in Bihar. Similarly, in Madhya Pradesh, three Maoists have been killed by the security forces. This success becomes even more important because many of these Maoists killed had bounties of lakhs and crores of rupees on their heads like Mithilesh Mahto had a reward of ₹1 crore,” said a statement issued by the ministry of home affairs (MHA).
The 55-square km Budha Pahad area on the border of two states was the last bastion of Maoists in Jharkhand. The security forces had not been able to reach the core area – spread across about 10 sq km, for the last three decades, government officers said
The counter-offensive has been going on for the past several years to capture core areas where Maoists have influence but three strategic, coordinated operations under the codenames - Operation ‘Octopus’, ‘Double Bull’ and ‘Thunderstorm’ were run by CRPF’s CoBRA (Commando Battalion of Resolute Action) unit, Bihar and Jharkhand police since April, CRPF director general chief Kuldiep Singh said at a Press conference in Delhi on Wednesday.
On Monday and Tuesday, security forces cleared the area and reached the top of Budha Pahad using helicopters. Permanent camps have been set up both – at Budha Pahad, Chakrabandha and Bhimabandh in Bihar, Singh said.
The home ministry said all these areas were the strongholds of top Maoists and a huge quantity of arms, ammunition, foreign grenades, aero bombs and IEDs have been recovered by the security forces during the operations.
“A special strategy is being adopted against left-wing extremism since 2019. The coordinated efforts and campaigns of central and state security forces and related agencies have led to unprecedented success in the fight against LWE,” the MHA said.
The government further said “the security vacuum in these states will be filled completely by destroying the strongholds of the Maoists.
Asserting that there has been a steady decline in both the incidence of violence and LWE’s geographical spread, the home ministry said the counter-offensive reaching its final stage is proven by the fact that there has been 39% less violence in affected areas this year compared to 2018.
It said the areas under Maoists’ influence have come down from 96 districts in 2010 to just 39 this year.
“Incidents of violence have come down from the highest level of 2,258 in 2009 to 509 in 2021. The death rate due to violence has also come down by 85%. In 2010, the death toll was at highest – 1,005, which has now come down to 147 in 2021 and their Maoists’ sphere of influence has decreased significantly,” the ministry added.
