NEW DELHI: Home secretary Rajiv Gauba recently wrote to directors general (DGs) of central paramilitary forces and directors general of police (DGPs) of Naxalite-affected states sharing best practices of Maharashtra's C-60 commandos and asking them to adopt their skills.C-60s, the only district-level force in the country to fight left-wing extremists, killed 39 Naxalites in two encounters in April without losing a man.Officials said the home ministry was impressed with the capabilities of C-60s and had asked police forces of 10 Naxalite-affected states and paramilitary forces — including CRPF, the lead force fighting Naxals, BSF, ITBP and SSB, which have small components in these areas, to follow their tactics, operations and intelligence gathering methods.The C-60s, conceptualised by IPS officer K P Raghuvanshi in 1989-90.Asked how these men were unique, Raghuvanshi, now retired, told TOI, "These local Adivasi boys are well-acquainted with the local terrain, speak local languages and have better survival instincts which gives them an upper hand in jungle warfare ."However, Raghuvanshi added, "If you look at officers and jawans in other units or forces, they are mostly from outside the affected regions, who face language and culture barriers."The C-60s, he added, were self-motivated as many of them had lost family members or relatives in Maoist attacks. "The C-60s get support from the locals, who are related or known to them, and it gives police an edge in anti-Naxalite operations," he said.Telangana and Andhra Pradesh's Greyhounds and Odisha's Special Operations Group are also specialised anti-Naxalite units but they are state-level forces.CRPF, which has a CoBRA battalion for special operations in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha and other states, recently formed 'Bastariya battalion' comprising tribal men from Bastar, considered the Naxalite headquarters. Bastariya battalion has 534 recruits, including 189 women, who have undergone specialised training in guerilla warfare.