A fading red zone in Telangana

A series of killings of Maoists, the latest being on January 18, has given the Greyhounds of Telangana a firm upper hand in their fight against the outlawed CPI (Maoist). Marri Ramu reports on how state measures, socio-economic changes and the Maoists’ inability to attract new cadres are impacting the insurgency

It was 6 a.m. on December 26, 2021. With dense fog all around, Telangana’s Greyhounds, billed as one of the best commando forces in Southeast Asia, had to watch every step of their boot-strapped feet in the dense forests of Chhattisgarh, known to be filled with booby traps. Darkness was diminishing and the sun's rays were beginning to pierce through the canopy of trees. The commandos could see shadows but the fog obscured their view. Assisted by their counterparts in Chhattisgarh, they were on the lookout for members of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) on the borders of Sukma and Bijapur. The armed commandos continued moving until they spotted a Maoist patrolling team of five to six members a kilometre away. Apparently, the Maoists were standing guard for important comrades and leaders who were some distance away. An eerie silence followed. In hushed tones, the commandos discussed whether they should lunge at the enemy in a sudden move or reach closer and pull the trigger.

Choosing the second option, they silently inched their way towards the Maoists. They had barely moved when one of the Maoist sentries spotted them. He frantically took out his weapon and pulled the trigger, alerting his associates. Realising that their opponents had identified them, the commandos started returning fire. For the next few minutes, the forest reverberated with the sound of gun shots. Some bullets ricocheted off the trees. The commandos, who often run half-marathons as part of training, chased the Maoists, spraying bullets with their AK-47s and 9 mm carbine guns.