Operation Antim Prahar

The Gadchiroli district administration in Maharashtra has declared the district free from active Naxalite presence following a major anti-Naxalite operation named “Operation Antim Prahar”.

According to the Superintendent of Police, eight Naxalites were arrested during the operation, while five others surrendered before the Gadchiroli Police. The development marks a significant achievement in the state’s long-running efforts to eliminate Left Wing Extremism from the region.

Arrests and Recoveries

The arrested Naxalites carried a combined bounty of ₹64 lakh. During the operation, security forces also seized cash worth ₹65 lakh along with ammunition and other materials from the arrested cadres.

The police stated that the operation was conducted as part of intensified efforts to dismantle Naxalite networks operating in the forested and border areas of the district.

Surrender of Naxalites

Five Naxalites, including divisional committee members, surrendered before the Gadchiroli Police. The surrendered cadres collectively carried rewards amounting to ₹38 lakh.

Authorities said that sustained security operations, development initiatives, rehabilitation measures, and surrender policies have played an important role in encouraging cadres to abandon the extremist movement.

Continued Vigilance Along Borders

While announcing the success of the operation, the Superintendent of Police clarified that although Gadchiroli has become free from active Naxalite presence, the ideology associated with Naxalism has not been completely eliminated.

He emphasized that police and security agencies would continue strict surveillance and border monitoring to prevent the movement or re-entry of Naxalite cadres from neighbouring states into Gadchiroli district.

Source: AIR