When the Maoists tightened their grip on Gadchiroli in 1990, a young superintendent named Krishipal Raghuvanshi turned the tables by recruiting local tribals and training them in jungle warfare.
The C‑60 unit grew from 60 on‑call commandos to 29 teams of 961 fighters, claiming 363 killings, 558 arrests and 861 surrenders, while the campaign left 244 police and 609 civilians dead.
Earlier this year, a book titled 'Troubleshooter – The Untold Encounters of IPS Officer KP Raghuvanshi' was released, prompting a ceremony where Director General Police Sadanand Date honored Raghuvanshi and his colleagues.
Despite the state’s declaration of Gadchiroli as Naxal‑free, Raghuvanshi argues that the threat remains latent, citing the possibility of a resurgence if the commando force were eliminated.
Police officials have pledged to conduct a comprehensive review of C‑60’s mandate during the upcoming budget meeting, while a displaced family in Bhopalgarh recalls the unit’s presence as a guardian against sudden raids.