In a devastating turn of events, three junior commandos from Telangana’s elite anti-Naxal unit, the Greyhounds, were martyred early Thursday after a landmine blast was triggered by Maoists near the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border. The incident occurred in the Wazeedu–Perur forest zone of Mulugu district, a region known for high Maoist activity. According to senior police officials, the commandos—who held the rank of constable—were conducting a routine area domination exercise when the explosion took place near the Veerabhadravaram-Tadapala hillocks. This marks the first fatal Maoist-related attack on Telangana Police in 2025.
Authorities confirmed that the operation was not a joint exercise with CRPF or neighbouring state forces. The bodies of the slain commandos had not reached the district headquarters at the time of this report, and the identification of the victims was pending. Mulugu and the adjacent Bhadradri-Kothagudem districts continue to be flashpoints due to their close proximity to Chhattisgarh—a Maoist stronghold. Despite intensified surveillance and counterinsurgency efforts, including the surrender of over 250 Maoists so far this year, the threat in these forested regions remains persistent and deadly.
This tragic incident occurred just a day after a significant anti-Maoist encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, where 22 Maoists were neutralized during Operation Sankalp—a large-scale offensive spanning the Karregutta forest, which connects Telangana and Chhattisgarh. While Telangana Police have officially remained out of major operations like Kagar and Sankalp, they have maintained heightened alertness in bordering zones. The loss of three brave commandos has reignited concerns over the safety and preparedness of security forces operating in some of the most hostile terrains of the country.
