Raipur: Months after security forces in a major strike neutralised the top Naxal leader Namabala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, the outlawed CPI (Maoist) has reportedly changed its strategy.
Media reports citing intelligence sources claim that the extremists are now operating in smaller group with many of their top leaders shifting their bases to isolated places to evade arrest or gunfight with forces.
The change in strategy for the outlaws has come at a time when forces have intensified anti-Maoist campaign in traditional hotbeds of ultras, forcing them to relocate to other places.
Reports indicate that Maoist stronger units have shifted their base to inaccessible terrain of down south Bastar along abandoning their traditional attires/uniforms in order to avoid detection.
Officials familiar with the development have disclosed that following the neutralisation of Rao, larger groups of Maoists were instructed by the top leadership to reconstitute themselves into smaller units and shift their bases to Indravati Park Area to avoid aerial surveillance and detection.
The tough terrain of the Park area which till date lacks forward operating bases and roads makes it difficult for the security forces to launch frequent operations, providing a safety net to the outlaws.
Additionally, the forested region is also believed to have heavy concentration of pressure IEDs placed by Maoist with an aim to harm advancing parties of security personnel, making it a risky affair for the latter.
According to officials, the change in strategy was adopted after the group suffered heavy losses at the hands of security forces which includes neutralisation of many of its top commanders/ central committee members in encounters.
The other notable change in the strategy relates to mingling of Maoist cadres with the local residents. According to reports, increased presence of Maoists in plain cloths among locals have been observed lately by intel units.
The move again is believed to be aimed at avoiding detection alongside gathering information about alleged informers of the police which has led to a surge in violence against unarmed locals as seen in recent times.
Over two dozen civilians have been targeted and killed by the Maoists since the beginning of this year alone, a figure evidently showcasing the brewing frustration among the Maoist group which is speculated to be briskly losing grounds in interiors.
Officials spearheading anti-Maoist campaign opines that the Maoist have been pushed on backfoot and are in a weakened state, battling for their survival. Moreover, they have become suspicious of everyone which has led to a rise in civilian killings.
The recent change in tactics by the unlawful group has come amidst intensified ops in Bastar region, resulting in neutralisation of more than 450 Maoists in separate operations in the past one and a half year.
The persistent operations launched in Maoist’s traditional strongholds of Abujhmad and other adjoining areas has compelled the outlaws to relocate their bases in down south alongside cutting their strength.
Intel inputs suggests that the strength of armed Maoists active in jungles have fallen to a few hundred cadres who too are believed to be operating from the park area only. In a press note issued recently, the banned outfit admitted to loss over 350 of its cadres in last one year.
Expressing his views on the ongoing developments, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Bastar said “Against the banned CPI Maoist organisation, local security forces and central paramilitary forces have been taking constant action. Dead bodies of their top leadership, including General Secretary Basavaraju, Central Committee member Sudhakar and many others, were recovered during different encounters.. They have accepted that in the last year, 281 Maoist cadres have been killed… This proves that actions taken by the security forces have jolted the Maoist organisations.”
#WATCH | Chhattisgarh | Bastar IG P. Sundarraj says, “Against the banned CPI Maoist organisation, local security forces and central paramilitary forces have been taking constant action. Dead bodies of their top leadership, including General Secretary Basavaraju, Central Committee… pic.twitter.com/zzwGunhfSZ
— ANI (@ANI) July 16, 2025
The IGP noted that the Maoist’s grip in the region is weakening and the outfit is also facing a crunch of cadres.
“Their area is shrinking, and the number of their cadres is decreasing… In the coming times, we will completely eliminate the CPI Maoist,” he said. Notably, the Union Government has announced to eliminate Maoist menace from Bharat before March next year.
