Once a Naxal stronghold, Chhattisgarh village hoists national flag for first time on Independence Day

For the first time on Independence Day, the Tricolour was hoisted in Boter village of the Abujhmad region located in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district. This region was once a Naxal-affected area, marked as the Red Corridor were hoisting the Tricolour meant a threat to one's life. The flag hoisting activities were done at the government primary school in Boter and at the camp of the 29th Battalion of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

Following the ceremony, villagers stated that earlier in this area, national festivals were not celebrated due to fear and restrictions imposed by Naxalites. Rajesh Kumar Pandey, Station House Officer of Orchha, also said that the Independence Day programme was organised for the first time in the Boter village.

SHO Pandey told ANI, "For the first time, flag hoisting has been done here. Villagers were also offered snacks. With the Police camp opening here, villagers are excited and met us warmly. Once the area became Naxal-free, it has been developing rapidly. We are proud to be here to witness the flag hoisting for the first time. Since the area was Naxal-affected, people used to be scared. Now, they feel liberated."

He added that the jungles of Abujhmad were popular as an impenetrable Naxal frontier. Ravikant, an assistant teacher at the government primary school in Boter, said villagers were happy while children were excited after the Tricolour was hoisted here.

He said, "Never before was the Tricolour hoisted here. This is the first time that we have hoisted the national flag here. The entire village is enthused. After the Police camp was set up here, road construction began. Earlier, people were in fear of Naxals, so Independence Day was not celebrated."

Ravikant further stated that the national flag was also raised in Rekhapal, Diwalur and Kumnar. Kauru Ram Mandavi, a local resident, recalled that Naxals had previously barred villagers from hoisting the Tricolour, punishing those who disobeyed. He added that permission was also required from Naxals before villagers could travel to markets or neighbouring villages.

Boter and Gundekot were once known as Naxal strongholds, where residents faced restrictions on movement and were barred from celebrating national festivals, instead being ordered to hoist black flags in place of the Tricolour. This situation changed following a security operation carried out in the region on May 21, 2025, as part of Operation Kagar. The nearly 50-hour-long encounter led to the deaths of 27 Naxals, including Keshav Rao, alias Basavaraju, General Secretary of the Maoist organisation, who had a bounty of Rs 1.5 crore on his head.

Tricolour hoisted at Karreguttalu Hills for first time

Similarly, the Tricolour was hoisted at Karreguttalu Hills in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district for the first time since Independence. It was also regarded as a Naxal stronghold, the Black Hills, once synonymous with Naxalism, before security forces launched Operation Black Forest in 2025 as part of the broader goal of achieving a Naxal-free India.

In 2025, the Karreguttalu Hills saw one of the largest anti-Naxal operations, in which 31 Naxalites were neutralised over a 21-day operation, as stated by Home Minister Amit Shah on the social media platform X in May 2025.