Naxalites were apprehended by the local police and Central Reserve Police Force.
Credit: PTI Photo
Mumbai: Gallantry Medals were announced for 31 police personnel including Assistant Police Sub Inspector Wasudeo Rajam Madavi, a C-60 commando involved in 58 encounters and 101 kills, hailing from Gadchiroli district, Maharashtra.
Wasudev Madavi, who is in his late forties, joined the force as a constable. Hailing from the tribal community, he knows the terrain very well and is considered a master strategist.
Born on November 10, 1976, Madavi joined the Gadchiroli police on 4 April 1998 when he was just 22 and commands tremendous respect among the officers and jawans.
“He is a true leader and icon and leads from the front,” said a C-60 officer, when this DH correspondent had visited the Gadchiroli district, in December 2025.
"He is a brave man, thinks fast and acts fast," the C-60 officer added.
The Gadchiroli police is currently led by Superintendent of Police Neelotpal.
The awards were announced on the eve of Republic Day celebrations.
The 31 awardees include one Assistant Police Inspector (API), two Assistant Police Sub-Inspectors (APSI), nine Naik Police Constable (NPC) and 19 Police Constables (PC).
Two of the police personnel — Naik Police Constable Sudhakar Bitaji Veladi and Police Constable Kare Irpa Atram.
The awardees include Assistant Police Inspector Amol Nanasaheb Phadtare, Assistant Police Sub Inspectors Amol Nanasaheb Phadtare and Madhukar Pochayya Naitam.
The Naik Police Constables who got the awards are Santosh Vasantrao Naitam, Vilas Maroti Portet, Vishwnath Sanyasi Sadmek, Dnyaneshwar Sadashiv Tore, Dilip Wasudeo Sadmek, Ramsu Devu Narote, Anandrao Bajirao Usendi and Raju Pandit Chavhan.
Police Constable Mohan Lachhu Usendi got 1st Bar to Gallantry Medal.
The other Police Constables who were awarded are Arun Kailas Meshram, Nitesh Gangaram Veladi, Sandip Ganpat Vasake, Kailas Devu Kowase, Haridas Maharu Kulyeti, Kishor Chanti Talande, Anil Raghupati Alam, Narendra Dashrath Madavi, Akash Ashok Uikey, Raju Masa Pusali, Mahesh Dattuji Jakewar, Rupesh Ramesh Kodape, Mukesh Shankar Sadmek, Yogendrarao Upendrarao Sadmek, Ghissu Vanja Atram, Atul Bhagwan Madavi and Vishvnath Laxman Madavi.
Majority of them were involved in the April 2010 encounter that took place in Boria Kasnasur jungles off the Indravati river in Tadgaon in Bhamragad tehsil in which 34 Naxalite commanders and cadres were killed.
In a simultaneous operation, six Naxalites were killed near the Rajaram Khandla post in Jimalgatta forests in Aheri tehsil.
This encounter was one of the big successes for the Gadchiroli police and security forces against CPI (Maoists) in the Red Corridor.
The trained C-60 personnel work hard and go to the corners of Gadchiroli district and carry out anti-Naxal operations in hilly and remote areas.
The C-60 was raised on 1 December 1990, by IPS officer and former Director General of Police K P Raghuvanshi, who was then the Superintendent of Police, Gadchiroli.
At that time, only 60 capable and special commandos were deployed in the C-60.