Tensions Rise Over Anti-Naxal Operations on Chhattisgarh-Telangana Border as Peace Talks Gain Momentum in Telangana

Raipur

While Chhattisgarh forces continue to battle Naxals alone in the rugged terrain of Karregutta hills along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border, Telangana has taken a divergent approach by preparing for peace talks, said sources. This contrast has sparked political and security discourse in both states, especially as the Telangana government faces mounting pressure from civil society groups to halt the military operation.

A delegation comprising 5 to 6 members, including retired High Court Judge B Chandrashekhar, Professor G Hargopal, and BSP leader and academic Anwar Khan, met Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to advocate for dialogue, added the sources. Professor G Hargopal has previously faced an FIR under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in 2022 over alleged links with Naxals. Documents recovered during anti-Naxal operations reportedly mention Hargopal’s association with Naxal cadres, said sources.

The FIR also named several others, including retired Osmania University professor Padmaja, civil liberties activist Gaddam Lakshman, lawyer-activist Sudha Bharadwaj, Arun Ferreira, and retired Justice H Suresh of the Indian Association of People’s Lawyers—totaling 152 individuals. At the time, many of the accused had raised serious concerns about the legitimacy of the charges and demanded their withdrawal. Hargopal had questioned whether merely being named in a seized diary warranted UAPA charges, sources said.

Hargopal has a history of mediation with Maoist groups, having acted as an interlocutor during the 2011 abduction of Odisha’s Malkangiri Collector R V Krishna. The negotiation team had included other civil society figures such as Professor Someshwar Rao.

Meanwhile, security forces in Chhattisgarh have taken control of strategic heights in Karregutta, hoisting the national flag after climbing nearly 5,000 feet in scorching 45-degree heat over nine days. Despite the presence of highly dangerous Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) planted by Naxals across the hills, the forces have managed to push insurgents back in some areas and have encircled others.

Top Maoist leaders, including Hidma, Deva, and Damodar, believed to be part of the Politburo, Central Committee, DKSZCM, and Telangana State Committee, are reportedly operating from Karregutta. The region is thought to be a key command center for Maoist operations in central India.

Initially, there were indications that Telangana would join the operation jointly with Chhattisgarh, including the deployment of elite Greyhounds forces. However, recent developments reveal that Telangana is now stepping back from active involvement. Former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and his daughter K Kavitha have criticized the operation.

Peace talk advocates in Telangana are now urging the Union government to initiate dialogue, claiming that Naxals have expressed willingness for a ceasefire. The state’s peace committee has pressed CM Revanth Reddy to convey this to the Centre and seek intervention. The Chief Minister has reportedly agreed to raise the issue in the upcoming cabinet meeting.

This divergence in approach—Chhattisgarh pursuing an aggressive military campaign while Telangana leans toward negotiation—highlights a growing rift in anti-Naxal strategies, potentially complicating the broader national policy on left-wing extremism.