Maharashtra Declared Free From Active Armed Maoists, Police Honour C-60 Founder K P Raghuvanshi In Mumbai

In a recent development, Maharashtra has been declared free from armed Maoism, as no active Maoist cadres are recorded in the state. This announcement was made by the Maharashtra Police during a ceremony held at the Office of the Director General of Police (DGP), Mumbai. The event also honored K. P. Raghuvanshi, IPS (Retd.), the founder of the C-60 force.

The foundation for Maharashtra's anti-Maoist campaign was laid by Raghuvanshi in 1990, following the entry of armed Maoist squads (dalams) from Telangana into South Gadchiroli in the early 1980s. The sparse administrative presence and scattered tribal settlements in Gadchiroli made it vulnerable to Maoist influence. By 2009-10, 379 armed Maoists were active in Gadchiroli and 57 in Gondia district.

The C-60 force was established by Raghuvanshi, then Superintendent of Police in Gadchiroli, in December 1990, with 60 personnel. The force aimed to recruit locals familiar with the terrain and fluent in Gondi and Madiya languages. Today, the C-60 force comprises 29 teams in Gadchiroli and 9 in Gondia, supported by advanced technology such as drones, Mine-Protected Vehicles, Bomb Detection and Disposal squads, and dog squads.

Despite the 76% forest cover, landmines, IEDs, and language barriers, the police have achieved significant milestones in the four-decade-long fight against Maoism. Since the campaign began, 244 police officers and personnel have sacrificed their lives, while 609 civilians were killed by Maoists. The police have also killed 363 Maoists, arrested 558, and had 861 surrender.

One of the key encounters was the Boriya-Kasnasur encounter in 2018, where 40 Maoists were killed. In 2021, 27 Maoists, including Central Committee member Milind Teltumbde, were killed in the Mardintola encounter. The Wandholi encounter in 2024 saw the killing of 12 Maoists. In January 2026, Maoist commander Prabhakar was killed in the Fodewada encounter.

In May 2026, during Operation Antim Prahar, eight Maoists were arrested and five surrendered, marking the final phase of the anti-Maoist campaign. A total of 819 armed Maoists have abandoned violence and returned to mainstream society, including DKSZC members Giridhar Tumreti and his wife Lalita, Tarakka, and Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Bhupati, who surrendered in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis along with 61 associates and 54 firearms.