Anti-Naxal ops: 19th camp strengthens security grid in Abujhmarh

Raipur: In a renewed drive to clear Abujhmarh of Maoist presence, Bastar police have established a new security-cum-public facility camp at Padmeta village in the Orchha area, the 19th such camp set up in the district within the past year.

Officials said the Padmeta camp will secure ongoing anti-Maoist operations and road construction along the Orchha–Aader–Lanka axis, while also enabling faster delivery of basic services to remote Marh settlements. The camp was inaugurated on Nov 21 by Narayanpur police, the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the ITBP's 44th Battalion under the "Marh Bachao" campaign.


Police said the initiative aims to dismantle Maoist hold in core Dandakaranya pockets and extend governance through roads, bridges and welfare schemes to interior settlements.Narayanpur police noted that during 2025 they have opened camps in multiple Maoist strongholds and former hideouts, including Kutul — referred to by officials as the insurgents' "undeclared capital" — besides a dozen of nearby villages.

The chain of camps, police said, is steadily shrinking Maoist influence and enabling continuous road and welfare outreach into Abujhmarh's interior. Padmeta, described by officials as a highly Maoist-affected shelter zone in the Marh region, falls under Orchha police station limits.

The camp is located about 35 km from Orchha, 30 km from Aader, 15 km from Kudmel, 14 km from Jatlur and 6 km from Dodimarka.

Authorities said the new base has created a stronger sense of security among villagers, with visible enthusiasm in the area. With the Padmeta camp operational, police said development work in surrounding villages — including Tadwada, Rasmeta, Malanga, Hipu, Karangul, Murumwada and Kumnar — is expected to gather pace.

The focus will be on faster expansion of roads and culverts, schooling, healthcare access, mobile network connectivity and other essential services, backed by regular security surveillance to protect construction teams and public movement.

Officials said the Padmeta camp strengthens the last-mile security grid in Abujhmarh and is expected to serve as a platform for both counter-insurgency operations and delivery of public services, as the state targets complete restoration of normalcy in the Maad heartland.

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