In what could be a game-changer development in the heart of Abujhmad and a distinguished achievement in the anti-Left Wing Extremism (LWE) operations undergoing in the central Indian states, the mountain-expertise force, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has created a much-awaited gateway to reach the Maharashtra borders in the Abujhmad region. 

The 41st and 45th Battalions of the ITBP and the Sector HQrs Bhubaneswar have established the new Coy Operating Base in Nelangur in Narayanpur, which is considered to be under the influence of various naxal organisations. The opening of the road network at the centre of the geographical centre of Abhujhmad and Narayanpur in particular, is a great strategic development in the area in a fight against the naxals. 

The establishment of the COB has been a significant achievement of the security forces. There have been 5 new COBs that have been opened by the ITBP since January this year to facilitate communication links towards Maharashtra to dominate the ‘unknown’ Abujhmad, which till now was known as the heart or capital of the Naxal movement in the country. Many naxals, OGWs, and their sympathisers and members of the ‘Jantana’ sarkar surrendered before ITBP and Police. The number of such surrenders has been more than 100 and many have surrendered after seeing the presence of the Force in the area after approaching themselves to the officials in the newly established ITBP camps. 

This is the shortest time-period for the establishment of such numbers of COBs by any force in Chhattisgarh in the naxal core area of Chhattisgarh on any given axis. 

The approach to Maharashtra from Narayanpur will pave the way for development and better reach of the security forces and development agencies, which have been under the clutches of the Naxals for the last four decades.

The forty-kilometer stretch is full of Naxal presence and the functioning of the so-called Naxal local parallel governments and liberated zones by the West Bastar Division, North Bastar Division, Maad Division, etc. Under such challenging circumstances, the ITBP managed to secure more than 5 camps with herculean efforts by the operating units. This is one of the swiftest developments by the security forces in opening of any core naxal area in less than three months. 

The development will be crucial for connecting the communication link of the ambitious Bharatmala project of the road network that will facilitate construction of the road no. 130 D of the national highway project, which is pending due to a security vacuum in the area. This is going to connect Kondagaon to Allapalli in Maharashtra connecting Kutul, Mohandi, Nelangur to Maharashtra borders towards Binagunda and Laheri. The ITBP after establishing Mohandi COB has four more COB as Kodliyar, Kutul, which was considered as the Naxals’ capital in Abujhmad, Bedmakoti, and Padamkot to finally secure Nelangur. The Maharashtra border from Nelangur is just one Kilometer now.

The Border Security Force has also been opening new COBs in north Narayanpur to reach Garhchiroli to facilitate better communication and road networks.

The ITBP has been deployed in Chhattisgarh since 2009 to deal with anti-naxal operations in Rajnandgaon. In 2015, the Force was further deployed in Narayanpur and Kondagaon districts.