Archive · 2 Oct 2026
Maharashtra Declared Free of Active Armed Maoists After Campaign
Maharashtra Police said there are no active armed Maoists left in the state.
Gadchiroli, once the main area of fighting, was declared free of armed Maoists in May 2026.
The police credited the C-60 force, which was created in 1990 by K. P. Raghuvanshi.
C-60 recruited local people who knew the forests and spoke local languages.
Over the years, many Maoists were killed, arrested or surrendered.
Police said the conflict also caused the deaths of hundreds of police officers and civilians.
In a final operation called Operation Antim Prahar, eight Maoists were arrested and five surrendered.
The police honoured Raghuvanshi and other officers who helped lead the campaign.
Maharashtra Police declared the state free of active armed Maoists after Gadchiroli reached the same status in May 2026.
The announcement was made in Mumbai at a programme honouring K. P. Raghuvanshi, founder of the C-60 force.
Raghuvanshi established C-60 in 1990 to recruit local personnel familiar with Gadchiroli’s terrain and languages.
Police reported that 363 Maoists were killed, 558 arrested and 861 surrendered during operations across the state.
The campaign also recorded 244 police deaths and 609 civilian deaths attributed to Maoist violence, according to police.
- Who
- The Maharashtra Police, C-60 personnel and former officer K. P. Raghuvanshi were central to the announcement and ceremony.
- What
- Maharashtra was declared free of active armed Maoists, according to the state police.
- When
- The declaration was made after Gadchiroli became free of armed Maoist cadres in May 2026.
- Where
- The announcement and honouring ceremony took place at the Maharashtra Director General of Police’s office in Mumbai; operations also covered Gadchiroli and border areas.
- Why
- Police attributed the development to a decades-long anti-Maoist campaign involving C-60 operations, arrests, encounters and surrenders.
- C-60 founded
- December 1, 1990, by K. P. Raghuvanshi
- Current C-60 strength
- 29 teams and 961 personnel in Gadchiroli; nine teams and 166 personnel in Gondia
- Reported Maoists killed
- 363 during anti-Maoist operations
- Reported arrests
- 558 Maoists
- Reported surrenders
- 861 Maoists across the state
- Police deaths
- 244 police officers and personnel, according to Maharashtra Police
- Civilian deaths
- 609 civilians, according to Maharashtra Police
- Final operation
- Operation Antim Prahar resulted in eight arrests and five surrenders in May 2026