New Delhi: As security forces tightened grip in Abujhmad and other regions of South Bastar, once considered an impregnable stronghold of Maoists, the focus of security personnel has shifted towards the remaining top Naxal leaders.
According to reports, the security personnel following neutralisation of several key Maoist leaders including top commander Nambala Kesav Rao alias Basavraju and central committee member Madvi Hidma has now shifted their focus to remaining 7-8 top Naxal operatives.
After suffering heavy losses at the hands of security forces, the Maoist group has now left with only a handful of leaders whose surrender or elimination is likely to put an end to the Maoist’s armed-insurgency in the Dandkaranya.
As per reports, Maoist leaders who remained to be at large includes of politburo members Dev Ji, Misir Besra, Lakshman Rao alias Ganpati, central committee member Ramder and Ganesh Uikey, Paparao, Barse Deva, and Munat.
Among the aforesaid Naxal leaders, Dev Ji, Misir Besra and Ganpati carries a bounty of Rs 1 crore each. Dev Ji is said to be the general secretary of the group following neutralisation of Basavaraju in an encounter in May this year.
Misir Besra alias Bhaskar is another key leader of the group who is on target of security forces since long. He is said to be operating from the Kolhan region of Jharkhand.
Lakshman Rao alias Ganpati, a former general secretary of the group is another key member of the group. Ganpati is reported to be active as an advisor of the Maoist’s central committee which has now been left with only a handful members.
Among the other key leaders are Ramder who is said to be the in-charge of Maoist’s MCC zone and Uikey, the state secretary of Maoist’s Odisha unit.
Barse Deva, a close aide of the neutralised Maoist commander Hidma and Paparao are said to be key commanders on ground, both carrying a reward of Rs 25 lakh each. As per media reports around 150 armed Maoists are left in Bastar led by these two.
‘Green Zone’ for Maoists willing to lay down arms
Meanwhile, security forces have created a ‘Green Zone’ to provide safe passage to Maoists who are keen to lay down weapons and join the mainstream.
A surge in surrender by Maoist cadres was noted in Maoist’s stronghold of Abujhmad and in adjoining regions which forms the part of the Maoist’s Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh (MMC) zone in recent months with several key leaders like politburo Mallojula Rao alias Bhupati and central committee member Rupesh joining the mainstream with hundreds of other Naxal cadres.
The surrender by Maoist cadres also gained momentum following neutralisation of Maoist commander Madvi Hidma in an encounter in Andhra Pradesh in November.
As per officials cited in media reports, Maoist leaders are sending messages through their channels seeking a safe corridor to surrender.
Notably, over 200 Maoists including top rank leaders like Chaitu alias Shyam Dada and Vikas Nagpure alias Anant have surrender before the police in the past 10 days.
It is worth mentioning here that over 2200 Maoists have joined the mainstream, parting ways with the banned outfit in Chhattisgarh since December 2023, marking a major movement in the ongoing battle against red terror which the forces aim to eliminate before March next year.
Only 11 districts remained affected by red terror
11 districts remained affected by red terrorism as per a release by the Union Home Ministry. The figures drop sharply in the last one decade falling from hundred plus district affected by Maoist menace before 2014.
Only 3 out of the total 11 districts stands severely hit by the Naxal-insurgency which once dominated a significant chunk of landscapes in central Bharat and parts of Bihar, Odisha and undivided Andhra Pradesh.
Security forces in recent few years have recaptured several of key Maoist’s stronghold such as Budha Pahad, Parasnath Zone in Jharkhand, Swabhiman Anchal in Odisha, Abujhmad in Chhattisgarh, Karreguta Hills near Chhattisgarh-Telangana border and other previously Maoist-dominated areas near Maharashtra border.
