There is a special unit of commandos called C-60 tasked with countering Naxal violence in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district. The task force, similar to Greyhound forces in Telangana and the SOG special units in Andhra Pradesh, was specifically set up in 1990 to tackle Naxal violence in Maharastra.
To make people aware of their sacrifices and valour, and pay tribute to their colleagues who died in the line of duty, five C-60 commandos are travelling across India on a special mission on four motorcycles. These commandos will cover a total distance of 45,000 km on their bikes across the country.
Who are C-60 commandos?
Naxalite activity expanded into Maharashtra in 1980, especially in the Gadchiroli district. To tackle these activities, veteran police officer KP Raghuvanshi was given the charge of creating an elite commando force of the state police, thus giving birth to the C-60 unit in 1990.
At the time a batch of 60 commandos was recruited from the same regions where the Naxals enlisted their own fighters. Being from the same region, the C-60 commandos had operational advantages compared to other units of the state police in tacking Naxalites’ activities.
Since then, the C-60 unit is thwarting anti-national operations in the Naxal-affected Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra.
Spreading Message Of Valour & Sacrifice
Under the latest campaign, the commandos of the C-60 unit have reached Maharashtra’s Nagpur, where there they were given a warm welcome.
The campaign has been divided into four phases covering all four corners of the country- from Koteshwar in Gujarat to Bengal and from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. Under the campaign, commandos will highlight the work of C-60 personnel at various places and give information about the kind of work being done by them.
In the first phase of the expedition, they have already covered 9,000 km across North India in 27 days last year.
Now they are covering a distance of 6,500 km in 22 days passing through four states. The rest of the campaign will be completed in the coming time.
Talking about the campaign, C-60 commando Kishore Khobragad said, “We are happy with the respect we have got as Indian commandos. But our aim is that the families of our martyred commandos should also get the same respect."
This tour is to commemorate the valour of commandos who gave the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty, he added.
Another commando Ajinkya Bhure remembered the sacrifice of his colleagues and said, “C-60 commandos are working bravely in Naxalite-affected areas like Gadchiroli, Bhamragarh. C-60 personnel have contributed to many daring missions to date. We have also eliminated Naxalites in previous encounter operations and unfortunately, our young comrades have also been martyred. We have launched this campaign to remember the valour and sacrifice of these commandos."
Read all the Latest India News here
