Raipur, Feb. 10 -- Locals and surrendered Maoists formed the 600-strong team of trained commandos who carried out one of the deadliest operations against Maoists in the jungles of Bastar region and eliminated 31 extremists on Sunday morning, officials familiar with the matter said.

With Sunday's operation, hailed by Union home minister Amit Shah as a "big achievement" for the security forces, 81 Maoists have been neutralised in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh so far this year, compared to 219 in 2024.

The operation was planned for over a fortnight, with jawans from the Chhattisgarh police's District Reserve Guard, Special Task Force (STF), and Bastar fighters entering the Indravati National Park area through various routes on Thursd...