DRG Jawans Who Neutralised 27 Naxalites Receive Grand Welcome In Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur: WATCH

The operation, dubbed Operation Black Forest, took place in the dense forests of Abhujmad at the tri-junction of Narayanpur, Bijapur, and Dantewada. 27 Naxalites were killed in the operation.

DRG jawans received a grand welcome in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur after neutralising 27 Naxalites in Operation Black Forest.

Source : X@DhirendraGG

The jawans of the District Reserve Guard (DRG), who neutralised 27 Naxalites carrying a cumulative bounty of Rs 3.33 crore in the state, were welcomed with a tilak ceremony during a grand civic reception hosted in their honour Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district.

The operation, dubbed Operation Black Forest, took place in the dense forests of Abhujmad at the tri-junction of Narayanpur, Bijapur, and Dantewada districts. In what is said to be one of the biggest strikes on maoists, security forces on Wednesday gunned down the topmost leader and backbone of the Naxal movement, CPI (Maoist) general secretary Basavaraju on Wednesday.

Celebrations continued late into the night despite heavy rains, with videos of DRG jawans dancing to traditional Bastariya songs circulating on social media.

नारायणपुर मुठभेड़ में नक्सल लीडर बसव राजू और 27 नक्सलियों को मार गिराने के बाद जश्न मनाते जवान pic.twitter.com/Ddq1IkgeV7

— BJP Chhattisgarh (@BJP4CGState) May 23, 2025

Two jawans of the DRG of the state police also lost their lives during the operation. Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj P told news agency PTI that of the killed cadres, one was identified as Basavaraju (70), who carried a reward of Rs 1 crore in Chhattisgarh.

The gunfight took place on Wednesday morning after three days of searches, he added.

The operation involved personnel of DRG from Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur, and Kondagaon districts. It was launched on May 18 based on intelligence inputs about the presence of senior Maoist leaders, including Central Committee and Politburo members and senior Maad Division cadres and PLGA (Peoples’ Liberation Guerrilla Army) members. 

Security forces celebrated the death of Maoist commander Basav Raju, soldiers danced in the rain, celebrated by applying gulal Chhattisgarh pic.twitter.com/eUAYQiCXF4

— Dhirendra Giri (@DhirendraGG) May 23, 2025

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also lauded "brave security forces and agencies for this major breakthrough," highlighting that the operation is the first time in three decades that security forces eiliminated a general secretary-ranked leader as part of India's battle against Naxalism. 

"A landmark achievement in the battle to eliminate Naxalism. Today, in an operation in Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh, our security forces have neutralized 27 dreaded Maoists, including Nambala Keshav Rao, alias Basavaraju, the general secretary of CPI-Maoist, topmost leader, and the backbone of the Naxal movement," Shah wrote on X.

Shah shared further details of Operation Black Forest, stating that nearly 54 Naxalites have been arrested, while 84 others have surrendered in three states, including Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Maharashtra.