Maoist Terror: Crumbling of the red citadel

The year gone by witnessed the highest ever fatalities for the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist), a group once effectively dominating the dense forested zones of Bastar by running a parallel system of governance from the de-facto liberated zones. It is a vivid testimony of what the security forces have achieved in the last 12 months. Other than neutralising Maoist cadres in notable numbers, largely in major encounters in Abujhmad or Abujhmarh, the strongest of the naturally fortified fortress of outlaws, there have been other instances which are rather more symbolic, boosting the overall morale of the security personnel. This includes demolition of a towering Maoist’s monument in Kotampalli of Sukma, seizure of their training camp in Bijapur, opening of dozens of security camps in core Maoist zones, infrastructure works and smooth operation of various welfare schemes aimed at outreaching the residents of the areas
marred by Red terror.

Countering Maoist Menace

The efforts of the security forces – Special Task Force(STF), Central Reserve Police Force(CRPF) – in dealing with the Maoist problem in recent years is well represented in the figures released by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). These figures state that the overall incidents of violence related to the Maoist insurgency in 2024 was reduced by 81 per cent as compared to 2010, a year noted by many as the zenith of the proscribed group.

The decrease in the violent incidents has also led to a dip in the resultant deaths which has been reduced by 85 per cent in the contemporary period, marking a significant decline in casualties of civilians and security forces grappling with the Maoists as compared to the prime  period of insurgency.

Accounting for around 60 per cent of the Maoist related incidents; the State of Chhattisgarh in general and its southernmost division Bastar in particular has been an epicentre of the Maoist activities since decades. Though, the latest report issued by the Government suggests that the State has made significant progress in the war against red terror.

According to MHA, the overall incident of violence in Chhattisgarh has been reduced by around 47 per cent while a significant dip of over 60 per cent was noted in the resultant deaths of civilians and security personnel in the year 2024 as compared to the all-time high figures of 2010.

Security: A Significant Milestone

One of the major success for the security forces in the State was achieved early last year when the forces entered the impenetrable Puvarti village, a locality notorious for producing Maoist commanders and other top cadres including the likes of Madavi Hidma, the youngest of the outlaws to join the Maoist’s Central Committee (CC).

The forces have now set up a tactical headquarter in the village and have also managed to move forward, erecting another security camp around 6-7 kilometers from the village in deep forests. Report suggests that it was only after the forces established their camp in the village that the villagers were introduced to television, solar lights and fans.

Republic Day in Bastar

Fall of Puvarti is significant as it was believed to be a citadel for ultras for decades. It was only after a gap of over four decades that the tricolour was unfurled in the village last year. In totality, 26 such Maoist-hit villages hoisted tricolour for the first time since Independence on January 26 this year.

Breaching the Fortress

2024 witnessed a change in tactics of the security forces in dealing with the armed cadres of the People Liberation Guerilla Army, armed unit of the CPI Maoist in their strongest bastion, culminating in heavy damage to the latter. The forces launched a major operation in the core Maoist zone of Abujhmad, a geographical stretch of the land adjoining Maharashtra, encompassing dense forested zones and tough terrain. The success of these operations in Abujhmad has dealt a body blow to the extremists given the fact that the latter were using the area as a safe hideout for long, considering it impenetrable.

The major offensives launched last year included operations in Kanker’s Chotebethiya and Thulthuli of Abujhmad resulting in highest ever death toll for the Maoists in a single encounter. Overall, a total of 207 Maoists have been killed during separate operations launched in the insurgency-hit areas of Bastar, the highest ever in a calendar year since the emergence of the outlawed group.

The trend has continued in the ongoing year as well with forces dealing a major blow to the Maoists in Kanker Pujari village of Bijapur and Kulhadi Ghat of Gariaband, neutralising a total of 34 Maoists in back to back operations.The fatalities occurred on the Maoist side includes top cadres like Chalpati alias Jairam, a CC member and in-charge of the Koraput Division of the Maoist outfit and Bade Chhokha alias Damodar said to be State-in-charge of Telangana. Almost a fortnight after the Gariaband encounter, a joint team of security forces neutralised a total of 31 Maoists in a well-coordinated operation at Maded hills adjoining Maharashtra border around 40 kilometers from Farsegarh. The operation carried out in the Indravati Park Area (a strong zone of Maoists, said to be the stronghold of their elite unit PLGA battalion no 1 and the CRC Company) near the Maharashtra-Telangana-Chhattisgarh tri-junction hold significance as it is believed that the park area was the last untouched citadel which was being used by the Reds as an alternative of Abujhmad.

Arms seized during the Bijapur encounter

Media reports suggest that this was the first time ever that such an operation was carried out in the sprawling forests believed to be the current base of top Maoist leaders including the politburo and Central Committee members since the fall of Abujhmad.

Major Operations by Forces in last one year

• Thirty one Maoists were killed in a fierce exchange of fire in the forests of Indravati Park Area of Bijapur near Maharashtra border
• An encounter in the Kenker Pujari area resulted in the neutralisation of a dozen Maoists. CPI (Maoist) in a press release later claimed that the group has lost 18 of its cadres in the gunfight, including Damodar alias Bade Chokha Rao
• 16 Maoists were killed following a gun battle between a joint team of security personnel and Maoists in Kulhadi Ghat of Gariaband near Odisha border. The fatalities included Chalpati alias Jairam.
• Around 1,500 personnel launched a major offensive against Maoist’s East Bastar Division in Thulthuli and Nandur village of Abujhmad, neutralising 38 Maoist cadres on October 4.
• 29 Maoists including a few top cadres of the extremist group were gunned down following a fierce gun battle in forest area of Binnaguda- Korgutta under Chotebethiya police station limits of Kanker district on April 16. A huge cache of weapons was subsequently recovered from the site of encounter
• 12 extremists were neutralised in a major offensive launched by a joint team of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and District Reserve Guard (DRG) in Pidia village under Gangloor police station limits of Bijapur district on May 10
• 13 Maoists killed in an encounter after the forces launched a counter-insurgency operation in Korcholi of Bijapur on April 3

One of the crucial factors behind the operations, resulting in major successes is that the police and the central forces have managed to set up dozens of strategic camps in the Maad and south Bastar region considered crucial for eradicating the menace of the Maoist group.

A number of such camps have come up in Abujhmad only, indicating the augmenting grip of the security forces in the region once considered a no-go zone for officials. Similar camps were also set up by forces in bordering areas such as Gadchiroli in Maharashtra. In addition to this, persistent combing campaigns in the affected areas have also led to the arrest of over 800 Maoist cadres in the last one year alone, reflecting the significant strides made by the forces in building a solid local intel network.

Welfare Initiatives of Government infrastructure has been given a push and there is also an increase in the number of surrendered Maoists. Other than the tough measures, the incumbent State Government in close collaboration with the Union Government has also focused extensively on infrastructure works and welfare initiatives for citizens of these far fledged areas. This includes building andreopening of roads considered vital for connectivity and swift movement of forces, along launching flagship schemes such as the Niyad Nellanar aimed at providing the benefits of the welfare schemes to residents.

To name a few, the forces have reopened the Bijapur-Pamed route, closed for the masses for decades. This comes almost a year after the forces managed to re-open the Jagargunda-Basaguda road once frequently used by the local people for their movement. The State Government has further identified 85 local road projects in areas where development remained stalled due to Maoist presence. The continuous effort of the forces along with the welfare programmes and infrastructure push by the Government has also paved way for the surrender of Maoist cadres in large numbers. To put them in figures, over 800 Maoist cadres have laid down weapons in last year alone.

Surge in Civilian Killings

Despite the recent unprecedented success of the security forces resulting in major losses for the Maoists, the gone by year has witnessed a swell in incidents linked with killings of civilians by the extremists.

All 68 incidents of civilian killings took place in Bastar in the last one year alone, surpassing the figures of the last two years. These killings reflect a pattern as the majority of those killed by extremists were branded as informers of police.

Targeting Locals in Chhattisgarh in 2025

• Maoists barged into the house of Joga Barse, a local political worker and a resident of Aranpur on the night of February 6. The extremists attacked Barse with axes and other sharp edged weapons, hacking him to death amidst continuous plea by the family members
• Cadres of the banned group brutally murdered a villager in Kakadi village of Dantewada’s Aranpur area on February 4. The slain civilian was identified as Harma Hemla who was dragged to a nearby forest area where the extremists killed him by slitting his throat
• Two civilians were killed in separate incidents that rocked the Budgicheru village of Tarrem in Bijapur on February 3. The deceased were identified as Madavi Munna and Raju Karrem
• Armed cadres of the banned group barged into the house of a 41-year-old villager in Keshmundi village on the night of January 26. The ultras dragged Bhadru Sodhi out of his house and subsequently hacked him to death with sharp edged weapons, alleging him for espionage activities
• Maoists executed a 48-years-old villager in Hallur village under the Miratur police station limits of Bijapur on January 16. The slain individual was identified as Sukku Hapka, who was paraded before a Jan Adalat, a self-styled court run by the extremist

Security officials, who have spent a brief tenure grappling with the Maoist challenge, believe that the surge in the incident of civilian killings and the modus operandi reflects the brewing frustration of the Maoist group as it is briskly losing ground in Bastar’s hinterlands.

Crisis of Second Rung Leaders

The question pertaining to the second-rung leadership of Maoists has only intensified in recent times with the arrests of their top guns like Eastern Regional Bureau Chief Prashant Bose, his wife Sheela Marandi from Jharkhand, Central Committee members Mithilesh Mehta and Pramod Mishra from Bihar, Arun Bhattacharjee, who was said to be assigned with the task to expand the footprints of the banned group in north-eastern States and Sanjay Deepak Rao who was nabbed from Hyderabad.

Other than the aforementioned arrests, the demise of many senior leaders in recent years such as Katakam Sudarshan, Ramkrishna alias Akkiraju Hargopal, Yapa Narayan alias Haribhushan due to age related ailments and encounter of top guns like Deepak Milind Teltumbde, Chalpati alias Jairam and Damodar Rao have only contributed in the already worsening leadership crisis for the extremists. Grappling with the drought of leadership and amplified operations in their former strongholds, the extremists were compelled to look for shifting their bastion towards a safer location.

The formation of the MMC corridor was believed to stem from the very compulsion, though their plan to expand in Balaghat and adjoining areas met with a major setback with the encounter and arrest of top cadres.

It is believed that the Maoist’s proposed plan to craft a safer corridor in MMC Zone encompassing Balaghat-Mandala-Dindoli of Madhya Pradesh did not materialise as expected due to vigil watch of the security forces who in turn neutralised many top cadres of the group in aforesaid areas and other adjoining regions,

It is worth knowing here that the banned outfit has already suffered major setbacks in Budhapahad and Parasnath zone of Jharkhand and Gadchiroli of Maharashtra, the other strongholds for the extremists. Notably, strict vigil near the tri-junction area in south Bastar and on Odisha border has also deemed their chances to sneak into Telangana or Odisha’s Swabhiman Anchal. Further, smooth inter-State coordination between the security forces in recent years has also zeroed down frequent crossing of State borders by Maoists to evade arrests or encounters, a time-tested strategy followed by the group since early years of its existence.

Though, despite strict measures taken to curb the frequent cross-border movement of extremists in neighbouring States, it is crucial for security forces to keep a vigil watch in the bordering areas, particularly near the borders of Madhya Pradesh as it is widely speculated that the Maoists are long trying to firm their grip in the interior localities and develop it as their next bastion.

Crackdown on Over Ground Workers

A significant part of the ongoing efforts of the Government to eradicate the Maoist menace from Chhattisgarh is led by National Investigation Agency (NIA) which has been investigating a number of cases linked with terror funding, arms supply network, over ground workers (OWGs) and frontal outfits associated with the banned outfit. The sleuths of the agency in recent years have raided several locations in the State during multiple crackdowns, nabbing OWGs alongside seizing incriminating documents and other evidence. The arrested include members of frontal outfits such as Moolvasi Bachao Manch, a group banned by the State Government recently.

Other than arrests, the agency has also paced up investigations in cases related to murders of political representatives carried out by the proscribed group.

Importantly, NIA has conducted multiple raids on the OWGs and sympathisers of the Maoist outfit lately in other States as well. The crackdown included raids on multiple locations in Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, where efforts of the banned group to revive insurgency in the Magadh zone have been thwarted. This comes at a time when the agency is already continuing its investigations into the urban network of the group.

Government’s Deadline

It is pertinent to mention here that the change in strategy for the security forces along the projects linked with infrastructure development and outreach programmes being carried out on a war footing comes amidst the Union Home Minister announcing that the country will be free from Maoist menace before March 2026.

It is quite evident that units like District Reserve Guard (DRG), a special unit of the Chhattisgarh Police have played a pivotal role in recent successes achieved against the extremists

Such a resolution was imperative given the country has so far lost over 1,300 security personnel, let alone the figure of civilian casualties, which is estimated to be somewhere between 1700 to 1800 in a period stretching over around one and a half decades. Not surprisingly, majority of the civilian casualties were from the local tribal community for whom the extremists claim they are fighting for. The declaration by the Union Home Minister arrived at a time when the State Deputy CM hinted that he is ready to engage even with small groups of insurgents who are ready to surrender arms and join the mainstream. Nevertheless, despite unprecedented success achieved and the Government’s resolve to eradicate the insurgency from Bharat by early next year, the road to ultimate victory seems tough. The outlawed group is in possession of modern sophisticated weaponry accessed via clandestine routes but they are also reported to be operating country-made weapon making factories in core insurgency zones.

The recent discovery of a tunnel by the personnel during the encounter in Kanker Pujari village suggests that the extremists were running a weapon making factory there. The product includes country-made bombs, grenade launchers and guns. Notably, a similar tunnel was also discovered by the forces during an operation in Abujhmad last year, signifying the capabilities of Maoist arms arsenal.

In totality it’s true that the Maoist outfit is probably facing the toughest challenge since its inception as not only the forces have managed to breach their fortresses but the group is also facing a serious drought of their second-rung leaders and safer hideouts. Further the growing infighting among the local and the top cadres hailing from other States has only added to their worries. Moreover, a significant change witnessed recently relates to the emergence of collective voices echoing against the extremists from the dense forested zones, once terrified with their guns. It is believed that the extremists are fast losing their support in the rural landscapes where a significant chunk of people are now standing firm against their suppression and violent means.

It is quite evident that units like District Reserve Guard (DRG), a special unit of the Chhattisgarh Police, also known as ‘son of the soil’, have played a pivotal role in recent successes achieved against the extremists. Comprising local youths, including those formerly associated with the outlawed group, the personnel of the unit are familiar with the difficult terrain of the forested zones along Maoist’s tactics, providing a crucial edge to the security forces during operations.

In addition to those who are fighting the Maoists head on, there are others who are echoing their voices through peaceful means as well. A significant gathering of such individuals was organised recently in the national capital where the participants, largely victims of the one sided terror unleashed by the group, were seen seeking decisive action against Maoists.

Victims of Maoists violence Gather at New Delhi

More than 50 residents of Bastar, victims of Naxalite violence, arrived in Delhi to share their pain and suffering caused by Maoist violence and demand the liberation of Bastar from Maoism. Under the banner of the Bastar Shanti Samiti, they organised a silent protest at Jantar Mantar and all these Bastar residents met with President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi to appeal for a Naxal-free Bastar. What is more encouraging was the victim’s determination to stand firm against the atrocities committed against them despite the looming fear of violent repercussions which often include capital punishment in Maoists public courts.

The gathering signifies the growing resentment among the masses once believed to sympathise with the cause of the banned group. To conclude, the red citadel of Bastar has gone through some major changes taking shape in the past 12 months, hinting that tides are changing briskly in the tribal heartland and the much awaited longing for peace in Bastar is not that far.