Operation Kagar: The Most Extensive Anti-Naxal Operation in 2025
‘Kagar Operation’ is one of the most remarkable anti-Naxal strategies in the history of Chhattisgarh. This, which started on May 19, 2025, is carefully orchestrated after months of planning. It was undertaken by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) of Chhattisgarh Police in collaboration with the Central Reserve Police Force and Special Task Force (STF). A staggering mobilization of over 20,000 personnel was executed for this operation, making this the largest deployment in a single mission anti-Naxal campaign throughout the year. The operation was initiated in the thickest and most dangerous Naxal jungle of Abujhmad in Narayanpur district.
Exemplary Cold Start Military Style Doctrine
After more than 50 hours of persistent execution, the operation melted away the core of the Indian Maoist insurgency infrastructure network, Command brutally eliminating 27 Naxals, some being top-ranking commanders. The encounter, which lasted more than fifty hours, was the epilogue of weeks of surveillance and intelligence gathering, which was precisely acted upon. Under very precise tips of seasoned informants, security forces were able to close in on a cadre of leads near the tri-junction of Narayanpur, Bijapur, and Dantewada with senior Maoist cadre who posed most in the vicinity. The scale and the time put in for the drive clearly reflected the attitude and the level of preparedness of the forces involved.
A Bolstering Impact in Countering the Maoist Leadership After the Death of Basava Raju
Among those dead was Nambala Keshava Rao, alias Basava Raju, who served as the General Secretary and supreme commander of the Communist Party of India (Maoist). Basava Raju was the most sought-after Maoist leader in India, as his life came with a prize of over Rs 1 crore. His daunting presence came as a result of his ideologies and tactics, which led to India suffering countless brutal assaults, among them being the merciless 2010 Dantewada massacre and its spine-chilling 2013 Jeeram Ghati ambush. Now experts are labeling his demise as the turning point in combat against left-wing extremism. The amount of black and red marks it has dealt to the Maoist insurgency is incredible, and many have gone on to call it the most crippling fact of Maoist acts in several years.
Profiles of the Eliminated Naxals: High-Value Targets Neutralized
Foot soldier is an unjust term for the 27 Naxals who were assassinated for the purpose of this operation since, with the head of every foot, there existed a combined bounty of Rs 3.33 crore. Among these, towering names such as Jangu Naveen alias Madhu, Sangeeta, and even Bhumika can be spotted. To some, this may come as a shock considering each bore a price ranging from Rs 8 lakh to Rs 25 lakh, so despite the deep dent posed on the operations by the Maoists in the given region, these high-profile captives were of great significance in every aspect.
Strategic Impact: Leadership Vacuum and Operational Chaos
Analysts expect that the death of Raju, who took over as CPI (Maoist) general secretary in 2018, will to some extent cause a loss in leadership somewhere in the ranks of the Maoists. Raju was already a ‘C’ grade celebrity in his own right for his guerrilla warfare skills, IED laying skills, and imaginative planning. His demise might create disarray, low morale among the ranks, and complications in the recruitment and operational plans. Security analysts opine that this encounter has fundamentally altered the perceptions of remaining Maoists about the reach and effectiveness of the Indian security establishment.
Diminishing the Insurgency: Recovery of Arms and Logistics
Other than decimating the top brass of Maoists, the security forces also recovered a significant amount of explosives, weapons, and logistical support from the site of the encounter’s primary leadership. These diabolical dismantling strategies, which are expected to further diminish the ability of the Maoists to hit in a synchronized manner in the near future, underscore the skill set of the forces. The materials that were seized enabled the soldiers involved to claim operational command intelligence, which is orderly within full control of the sector.
Award and Political Response
Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah commended the valor and achievement of the security forces while executing the ‘Kagar Operation.’ ‘Kagar Operation’ is considered to be a highly significant chapter in the ongoing struggle against Naxalism in the more difficult regions of India—the heart of central India. The defeat of Basava Raju and his gang has been a boost to the morale of security forces and also to the government’s resolve towards fighting the menace of left-wing extremism.
