New Delhi/Raipur, 7 May 

A total of 26 Maoists have been killed by security forces till now as part of the biggest operation undertaken this year against left wing extremists at the Karregutta hills in Telangana along the Chhattisgarh border, official sources said on Wednesday.

The offensive involves as many as 20,000 troops and is led by the CRPF along with units of Chhattisgarh Police. It has clocked 18 days after it was launched on 21 April from Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh across the border of Telangana.

"A total of 26 Naxals including four women have been killed till now as part of this operation. Huge amount of explosives, weapon-making factories and other logistical items of the ultras have been seized," a senior officer told PTI.

Over a dozen troops including those from CRPF's CoBRA and Chhattisgarh Police units like DRG and STF have been injured till now, they said.

This includes CoBRA officer Assistant Commandant Sagar Borade who lost a leg in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast two days ago and another commando from the 206th battalion of CoBRA who was severely injured in a similar blast on Wednesday.

The importance of the operation can be gauged from the fact that CRPF director general (DG) GP Singh is camping continuously in the state, at Raipur and some times at Jagdalpur, since 19 April and has visited the operations area including the Karregutta hills thrice till now, officials said.

Everyday, the CRPF and state police heads meet twice at the police headquarters in Raipur to review the operation, rotate the troops and ensure that supply lines of food, water and ammunition are replenished, they said.

Officials said the Karregutta hills area has been "an untouched territory till now and it was a testimony of the forces strength that there have been no casualties on their side despite the heavily mined area, hot weather and harsh terrain."

"The coordination between the CRPF and Chhattisgarh Police is going great and that is why the forces were able to capture the hill and hold the area till they neutralise or apprehend the last Maoist on ground there," a senior officer said.

The joint forces have recovered and defused about 135 IEDs till now, officials said, adding a "final offensive" has been launched.

The CRPF, this week, inducted as many as 20 new companies comprising about 2,000 personnel for the operation.

The security forces are now "holding the heavily mined hill areas which have multiple bunker-like hideouts," according to officials.

Some senior Naxal cadres are suspected to be holed up in the hill area. The operation will reach its logical conclusion soon, a senior officer supervising the operation had told PTI on Tuesday.

About four helicopters, two drone squadrons comprising 20 big and small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in each, along with satellite imagery and maps provided by the NTRO, have been deployed to track Hidma, the top commander of the PLGA battalion no 1, and other senior cadres like Deva, officials have said.

Inputs suggested that Hidma was seen around a bunker built in the Karregutta Hills along with an armed squad, and the operation was launched on this information.