In a powerful symbol of India’s growing dominance over Naxal-affected regions, the Karregutta hills in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district — once considered an unbreachable Naxal fortress — will soon host the nation’s second Jungle Warfare College.
The proposed institution will serve as a major training ground for India’s elite counter-insurgency forces, including the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Chhattisgarh Police, District Reserve Guard (DRG), CoBRA commandos and other paramilitary units. The Central Government will oversee construction of the facility, while the Chhattisgarh Government will develop critical infrastructure such as approach roads and essential services.
The new college marks a significant addition to India’s counter-terrorism capabilities, following the establishment of the Counter Terrorism and Jungle Warfare College (CTJWC) in Kanker
in 2004. The Karregutta center is expected to serve as a tactical hub for modern jungle warfare training, especially tailored to the challenges posed by Left-Wing Extremism in central India’s dense forests and rough terrain.
Until recently, the Karregutta hills were widely known as the “capital” of the Naxals. Standing nearly 900 meters high, the terrain is filled with hundreds of natural caves and narrow forest trails, which had long provided cover for Naxal camps and weapons manufacturing units. The hills were nearly inaccessible and notoriously dangerous for security forces.
That perception changed dramatically in April 2025, during Operation Black Forest, a 21-day military campaign that led to a decisive breakthrough. In this single operation, 31 Naxals were neutralised, 214 underground bunkers destroyed, and four Maoist technical units dismantled.
This historic operation marked a turning point in the region’s decades-long struggle with Naxal violence. The successful campaign drew national attention and praise, with Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah personally honoring the brave personnel involved. He described the operation as one of the “greatest counter-insurgency successes in recent history” and lauded the courage and coordination of the security forces.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai welcomed the move, stating that the Naxal movement’s false ideology is crumbling under the weight of development and democracy. “Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leadership of Home Minister Amit Shah, we are moving toward a new dawn of trust, development, and peace,” he said. The Chief Minister reaffirmed his Government’s commitment to achieving a Naxal-free India by March 2026.
Since December 2023, the momentum in anti-Naxal operations has been unprecedented. According to official data, 453 Maoists have been killed, 1,616 have been arrested, 1,666 have surrendered voluntarily.
Moreover, the state has opened 65 new security camps and fast-tracked the development of infrastructure including roads, bridges, culverts, and mobile network connectivity—facilitating not only security but also economic growth and integration in previously isolated areas.
The establishment of the Jungle Warfare College on Karregutta hills is not just a strategic military development — it is a symbolic reclaiming of territory once lost to extremism. The transformation of this former Naxal stronghold into a center of discipline, training, and national service reflects India’s broader strategy: replacing fear with progress, violence with security, and extremism with opportunity.
With this move, the message is clear: the fight against Naxalism is not just being won on the battlefield, but in the minds and hearts of the people.
