New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently reiterated that the government will achieve its target of eradicating the ‘red terror’ menace from the country by March next year.
Responding to the demands to hold talks with the Maoists, Union Home Minister Shah remarked that there is nothing to talk since both the Union Government and BJP state government in Chhattisgarh were dedicated to developing the entire Maoist-hit region, including Bastar.
“Some people talk about talks. I want to make it clear once again. Both out governments are dedicated to the development of Bastar and the entire Naxal-affected region,” said the Union Minister in Jagdalpur on October 4.
He further warned the Maoists against disrupting peace in Bastar while stressing that the date has already been fixed to bid farewell to Naxalism.
“What is there to talk about. We have formulated a very lucrative surrender policy. Come lay down your arms. If you take up arms and try to disrupt the peace of Bastar, our armed forces the CRPF, and the Chhattisgarh police will respond. March 31, 2026 has been fixed to bid farewell to Naxalism from the soil of the country,” added Shah.
After the Union Home Minister reiterated the government’s stand on the issue, urging Maoists to lay down arms, it is being speculated that the anti-Maoist campaign in affected regions will gain more pace given the March 2026 deadline announced by the government.
Operations against Maoists in recent months
It is to be noted that security forces in recent months have conducted a series of successful strikes against Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar and other Maoist-hit pockets across other states, neutralising hundreds of armed Naxal cadres including top commanders.
In Chhattisgarh alone, the forces have neutralised 4 Central Committee [CC] members and the former general secretary of CPI [Maoist] Nambala Keshav Rao since May this year. The encounter leading to neutralisation of Rao was consider by many as a decisive blow to the outlaws, who have been on the receiving end for the last two years.
Similar operations in Jharkhand have also resulted in major successes for security forces lately as they have neutralised many top commanders of separate Naxal groups like People’s Liberation front of India [PLFI], Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad [JJMP], and CPI [Maoist].
As per officials, police and security forces have intensified campaign with an aim to eliminate Naxal-insurgency from Jharkhand by December this year. The forces in Jharkhand this year have so far gunned down over 30 Maoists in separate gun battles.
- CPI [Maoist] general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju was neutralised in encounter in Abujhmad in May
- JJMP Chief Pappu Lohra was gunned down in encounter in Latehar on May 24.
- 7 Maoists including CC member Sudhakar alias Gautam was killed in encounter with security forces in June
- Maoist’s CC member Modem Balakrishna was neutralised in encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Gariyaband on September 11
- Sahdeo Soren alias Pravesh Da, a CC member of outlawed CPI [Maoist] killed in encounter in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh district on September 15
- Top Maoist’s CC members Katta Ramchandra Reddy alias Vikalp and Kadari Satyanarayan Reddy alias Kosa Dada were gunned down in encounter in Abujhmad
It is pertinent to mention here that Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand were the two most affected states from red terrorism. Moreover, the other states such as Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Maharashtra have also witnessed similar crackdowns against Naxals in recent months.
Focus on remaining top cadres in Bastar
According to reports, the forces have prepared a fresh list of remaining top Maoist commanders/leaders [Around 40]. The list reportedly include names of 25 Chhattisgarh based top Naxals, while the rest of the names are from other states.
Among the top active commanders/leaders of the Maoist’s group are Mupalla Lakshman Rao alias Ganpati, Thippari Tirupati alias Dev Ji, Mallujula Venugopal alias Bhupati alias Abhay and Misir Besra alias Bhaskar, all members of the polit-bureau, the highest decision making body of the banned outfit.
Lakhman Rao alias Ganpati was the former general secretary of the group and currently active as an advisor while Dev Ji has been reportedly made the group’s new general secretary after Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavraju’s encounter. Among the other two top leaders, Bhupati alias Abhay is also the spokesperson of the Central Committee while Besra is currently active in Saranda forest regions of Jharkhand.
According to details, these four top leaders are carrying a cumulative bounty of Rs 4 crore in Chhattisgarh alone. The other top active Maoists leaders are Pullari Prasad Rao alias Shankaranna, Ganesh Uikey alias Chamru Dada, Anal Da alias Toofan and notorious commander Madavi Hidma, a resident of Sukma’s Puvarti village.
As per officials, the neutralization of top commanders and leaders of the unlawful group lately has also led to serious internal rifts among the remaining leadership. The forces on the other hand have tightened grip and moving forward towards achieving lasting peace in the Maoist-affected pockets.
Other than the leaders, the forces have also zeroed down their focus on the remaining 300 armed cadres of the unlawful Maoist group who are said to be active in the forest regions of Abujhmad and National Park Area of Bijapur district.
18 Maoist-affected districts
Notably, 18 districts in the country remained affected with Maoist-insurgency as of April this year, according to a release by the Union Government.
Out of the 18 affected districts, 6 have been put up in most-affected category which include four districts from Chhattisgarh (Bijapur, Kanker, Narayanpur, and Sukma), one each from Jharkhand (West Singhbhum), and Maharashtra (Gadchiroli).
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Moreover, the government has put as many as 9 districts under the ‘Districts of Concern’ category, which includes Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Sitarama Raju, Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat, Odisha’s Kalahandi, Kandhamal and Malkangiri and Telangana’s Bhadradri-Kothagudem district.
The other Maoist-affected districts include Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada, Gariaband, and Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district, Jharkhand’s Latehar, Odisha’s Nuapada, and Telangana’s Mulugu district.
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