The 27th Battalion of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has received the esteemed best anti-Naxal battalion award in recognition of its exceptional operational performance and significant community contribution in Chhattisgarh. The battalion’s Commandant Vivek Kumar Pandey and BP Badaya received the honor from ITBP Director General Praveen Kumar during the force’s Raising Day parade in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir.
In the difficult Mohla-Manpur area close to Chhattisgarh’s borders with Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli and Kanker districts, the Kerala-based 27th Battalion has been instrumental in fighting Maoist rebels.
Their greatest accomplishment occurred in August 2025 when they killed two prominent Naxal leaders during a pivotal encounter: Lokesh Salame, the Division Secretary of the Rajnandgaon Kanker Border (RKB), and Vijay Reddy, a member of the State Zonal Committee.
The battalion, which is regarded as one of the best Central Armed Police Force units in Chhattisgarh, operates in accordance with the Center’s goal of eliminating the Naxal menace by March 2026. Nine other senior Maoist officials, including five members of the Area Committee and four members of the Divisional Vice Committee, were neutralized as a result of their strategic pressure. Over the past two years, many extremists have been forced to surrender due to the disruption of Naxal logistics and numerous arrests of overground workers.
The 27th Battalion is based in Manpur, which is known for the 2009 Korkutti incident that claimed the lives of 28 police officers and Senior Police Officer VK Chaube. The battalion’s actions have been crucial in bringing stability and security back to this unstable region.
The battalion has placed a strong focus on community ties through humanitarian endeavors outside of battle. One noteworthy program helped local tribal youth in the Aundhi area pass important government recruitment examinations including the Staff Selection Commission and Chhattisgarh Police Constable exams by providing career counseling.
Another essential component of the battalion’s activity has been medical outreach. It has established a Field Hospital and the first Veterinary Field Hospital in the area, offering vital medical care to thousands of animals and more than 6,000 inhabitants in almost 35 tribal communities devastated by Left-Wing Extremism (LWE).
When Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai visited the Sitagaon Company Operating Base in May 2025 to praise their accomplishments, the battalion’s dedication to both security and sustainable development was acknowledged by the people.
The Battalion organized Diwali festivities in some of the district’s most isolated villages in 2025 as part of a novel outreach program that strengthened ties between local communities and security personnel by allowing locals to witness the event for the first time.
The 27th Battalion ITBP stands out as a model unit in anti-Naxal operations inside Central India’s conflict zones thanks to its all-encompassing strategy of fusing decisive combat operations with social welfare and community participation. Their example promotes trust and growth among indigenous groups while being in line with national security objectives. The
