Nagpur: Maharashtra’s elite Gadchiroli-based C-60 commandos, during a 48-hour operation, busted a Naxalite ‘arms factory’ and camp in the rebel stronghold of Abhujmadh, barely 5 kms from the state border in the hilly and densely forested terrains of Chhattisgarh on Thursday. One jawans was injured when Naxals ambushed the security forces during the operation.
The commandos, carrying their bullet-hit colleague on shoulder for 5 km on a forested slope, staved off the advancing guerrilla fighters, who were desperate to wrest back some of the weapons seized by the forces and also inflict more casualties, for more than 36 hours. The commandos are learnt to have brought back several seized weapons and destroyed some equipment likely to be used for manufacturing, repairing and maintenance of arms.
At around 4 pm on Thursday, C-60 commandos had the first fire-exchange with the Maoists when they saw suspicious movement on the hill-top. The Naxalites had exploded several IEDs to keep the C-60 commandos at bay but still the forces climbed around 700 metres to reach the top where they were stunned to see the arms-making and repairing equipment and weapons. It is learnt the security forces blew up most of the equipment with grenades as it was impossible to bring it all back.
On their way back with weapons, the rebels blasted more grenades and fired on the cops leading to injuries.
Though C-60 commandos have earlier busted Maoist camps in Abhujmadh and even recovered horses from their camps, this is the first time they have destroyed a weapons factory in the area close to Maharashtra. It could be used to launch an attack in the coming days during Maoists’ ongoing tactical counter offensive campaign (TCOC).
State home minister Anil Deshmukh lauded the efforts of the commandos for the action.
The commandos had to get back into Maharashtra border after crossing the Indravati river on foot and reach plain ground where an IAF’s Mi-17 chopper with reinforcements awaited them. The chopper, flown in from Raipur, could not take off due to the dense forest where Naxals waited with grenade launchers.
DIG, Naxal range, Sandip Patil said an assault group was diverted towards the site for support but it had to tread cautiously as the Naxals too could be waiting anywhere laying ambushes. “This is a setback to the Naxalites as their factory to put together arms was destroyed and weapons seized,” he said. “The injured jawan would be brought to Nagpur for treatment,” he said.
SP Ankit Goyal said the more details of the weapons seized would be soon disclosed.
Sources in the Gadchiroli police, who were part of the encounter, said there was ruckus in the destroyed camp after the midnight with howling which meant there could be some deaths too.
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