Gadchiroli, Feb 18 (UNI) In a major anti-Naxal operation, security forces on Wednesday demolished 44 memorials allegedly erected by Naxalites across remote parts of Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district, police officials said.
The coordinated drive was carried out jointly by the Gadchiroli Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) as part of an intensified campaign to eliminate remnants of Naxal influence in the region.
According to officials, the memorials were constructed by Naxal cadres in interior forest areas and were viewed by authorities as symbols intended to sustain the group’s presence and psychological hold over local residents.
Superintendent of Police Nilotpal said the operations began early in the morning under tight security arrangements. Around 800 personnel, including C-60 commandos, district police teams and CRPF units, participated in the action.
Sixteen bomb detection and disposal squads were also deployed in view of the possibility of improvised explosive devices and booby traps in the area.
The memorials were identified within the limits of 15 police stations.
Of the total structures demolished, 18 were located in the Etapalli subdivision, 17 in Hedri, five in Bhamragad, two in Jimlagatta, and one each in Dhanora and Pendhari subdivisions, officials said.
The operation also covered sensitive and remote locations, including Pangunda, Kavande, Tumarkothi, Gardevaada, Wangeturi and Gatta (Jangal).
Police officials said the demolition of these structures was aimed at dismantling symbols associated with Naxal violence and restoring a sense of security among villagers. Authorities described the action as a significant step toward making the district free of Naxal influence.
Gadchiroli district has long been affected by Naxal activity, though officials in recent years have maintained that the movement has considerably weakened in the region.
