The government has cleared the setting up of a dedicated jungle warfare school at Karreguta Hills in Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh. The site—once an impregnable Maoist stronghold—will now host a state-of-the-art training centre for Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Chhattisgarh Police, District Reserve Guards (DRG), Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), and other specialised units engaged in counter-insurgency operations.
According to officials, instructions have already been issued and groundwork preparations are underway. The Centre will construct the core training infrastructure, while the Chhattisgarh government is tasked with developing the approach road and ensuring basic facilities to sustain the institution.
Read- India Issues NOTAM For A Likely Missile Test In Bay of Bengal Region
The choice of Karreguta Hills carries deep operational symbolism. Freed from Naxal dominance only in April 2025 through a CRPF-led offensive, the terrain was once described as the safest haven for insurgents. Establishing a training facility there is meant both as an assertion of authority and a practical attempt to use real-world geography for battle conditioning.
Lessons drawn from the April operation—especially extensive cave intervention tactics—will be formally fed into the school’s curriculum. Forces will gain hands-on exposure to counter-insurgency drills in an actual guerrilla environment rather than in simulated or generic training grounds.
Karreguta’s environment makes it uniquely suited for this purpose. The hilly expanse stretches for over 60 km, with widths varying between 10 to 20 km, and altitudes reaching up to 5,000 metres. Accessibility is so challenging that even local populations rarely venture deep inside. The core of the hills features caves, waterfalls, and narrow valleys—landscapes once exploited by Maoists for hosting training camps and weapons workshops.
Read- Attempts To Break India-Russia Ties Destined To Fail: Moscow Amid Trump Pressure
Officials note that embedding training in such naturally difficult terrain will heighten preparedness for troops operating across India’s Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected belt. The presence of daunting natural obstacles along with the psychological value of reclaiming the former rebel stronghold offers a unique dual advantage.
The CRPF, being the country’s lead counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency force, is at the centre of this initiative. Nearly 100 battalions, including specialised CoBRA units, are deployed in LWE theatres out of its 3.25-lakh personnel force pool. The new school is expected to significantly sharpen the battle-readiness of both central and state police personnel engaged in long-term guerrilla warfare operations.
The upcoming school is therefore envisioned not just as a training institute but as a frontier node in India’s ongoing campaign to consolidate control over the Red Corridor and prepare forces for evolving conflict dynamics in rugged, high-risk terrains.
Based On New Indian Express Report
Agencies