New Delhi:

In the first three weeks of January, 48 Maoists have been killed in encounters with security forces in combing and strike operations, data from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said. The data, presented in line with MHA’s “duty to share” directive, suggests that security forces are yielding results in operations indicating at least two Maoists being killed every day in 2025.

Yesterday, in a joint operation in Chhattisgarh, 14 Maoists were killed, including a core committee member, Jairam, who had a reward of Rs 1 crore on his head.

“Co-ordinated efforts between state and centre backed by political will are getting us good results,” a senior ministry official explains adding that MHA has been stressing in its meetings with state governments to plan a road map to eliminate Maoists by March 2026.

Forces have now managed to reach deep inside jungles and set up base camps in areas which earlier were considered no-man zones, the official said.

“As many as 290 camps have been set up since 2019 of which 58 were set up in 2024 alone and proposal of 88 to be set up in 2025 have been cleared and ground work is being done,” he explained.

The figures reveal that in 2024 as many as 290 naxals were eliminated by security forces.

The Centre recently extended two of the most crucial schemes – Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS) and Special Central Assistance (SCA) up to March 2026.

As per the data, the SIS scheme has been extended with an overall outlay of Rs 1,160 crore. The MHA has directed state police to bridge the remnant security vacuums, ensure comprehensive investigations, choke funds and monitor prosecutions.

The government has extended the SIS scheme till March 31, 2026, with an overall outlay of 1,160 crore. The scheme was approved in 2017 and it aims to strengthen the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureaus (SIB) and special forces in Maoist-affected states and the fortification of 250 police stations at Rs 2.5 crore each.

“Round-the-clock intelligence sharing through Multi Agency Centre (MAC) at the Central level and State Multi Agency Centre (SMAC) at the state level, setting up of Joint Command and Control Centre at Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh) and Gaya (Bihar), and strengthening of technical and human intelligence have helped in action against Naxals,” states MHA report accessed by NDTV.

“Besides, thrust on the generation of real-time intelligence and creation as well as strengthening of State Intelligence Bureaus (SIBs) in the Left Wing Extremism-affected states for which central assistance is provided through the SIS have also helped security forces take action against Naxals,” it added.

In addition, the government has also extended special central assistance (SCA) for the most LWE-affected districts till March 2026. This subscheme, under the umbrella of ‘The Modernisation of Police Forces’ scheme, was approved in 2017.

“Under the scheme, funds are provided to the states to fill critical gaps in public infrastructure and services in the most LWE-affected districts,” states an official adding that as of there are 25 most LWE-affected districts across eight states and now Rs 3,450 crore have been released under the scheme.

“The effective coordination with and within states, central forces and agencies filled the security vacuum by accelerated opening of security camps, optimisation by focused deployment of resources, enhanced allocations, financial choking of Maoists, creation of separate vertical in NIA for LWE-related cases for quality prosecution and special focus on neutralisation of top LWE leadership etc. have yielded significant achievements both in terms of sharp reduction in LWE related incidents and constriction of LWE geographical spread,” he further stated.

‘Left-Wing Extremist Violence Is Shrinking’

As per MHA data, the geographical spread of Left-Wing Extremist (LWE) violence is shrinking. In 2023, 171 police stations in 42 districts reported such incidents, compared to 328 police stations in 76 districts in 2013.

“In mission against LWE, the MHA is fighting a successful battle with a strategy on all three fronts of development, prosecution, and operation,” said an official on the ground.

However, Chatisgarh remains the worst affected state with 63 per cent of the total LWE-related violence incidents and 66 per cent of the resultant deaths in 2023.

Chhattisgarh is followed by Jharkhand with 27 per cent of the LWE-related incidents and 23 per cent of the resultant deaths. The remaining incidents of violence and deaths are reported from Maharashtra, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Kerala.

Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh):

“I am the happiest person today, more than you or your family, as our painstaking efforts to convince you to surrender and join the mainstream has bore fruit,” Union Home Minister Amit Shah told a group of former Maoists on Sunday.

The event here, attended by about 30 surrendered Maoists and insurgents belonging to six states — Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Assam — may be small but is very significant, Mr Shah said.

“I am getting immense satisfaction that the country’s youngsters are responding to our appeal, realising the futility of violence and surrendering,” he said.

Mr Shah said when Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave him the responsibility of the home ministry in 2019, he thought that those who were involved in armed movements should be given a chance to lay down their arms, surrender and live a peaceful life.

“Following our initiatives, 20 peace accords were signed in the northeast and 9,000 militants surrendered,” he said.

आज छत्तीसगढ़ के जगदलपुर में नक्सल प्रभावित लोगों और हथियार डालकर मुख्यधारा में शामिल हुए लोगों से मुलाकात की।

नक्सलवाद ने दशकों तक देश की बड़ी आबादी को उनके मौलिक अधिकारों से न केवल वंचित रखा, बल्कि अमानवीयता की सारी हदें पार कर उनके जीवन को कुप्रभावित किया। युवाओं के मन में भय… pic.twitter.com/5bUPPh2mCD

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 15, 2024

The Centre has formulated rehabilitation policies for surrendered militants and Maoists, including those injured in violence, the home minister said.

He added that PM Modi approved 15,000 homes for surrendered Maoists under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana while the National Dairy Development Board would provide at least one cow or buffalo for such families so that they could earn Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 every month.

“You all should pass on the message to your former colleagues that violence is not the way forward. All Maoists should come forward and surrender. The government will take care of their needs,” he said.

He also told the surrendered militants to send a simple post card to the Union home secretary and their problems would be taken care of.

The home minister said the government was preparing to host the Olympic Games in Ahmedabad in 2036 and, in the run-up to it beginning 2025, about 35,000 youngsters would be trained so that India might win as many medals as possible.

“I want someone from Bastar to win at least one medal in the 2036 Olympics,” he said.

While interacting with Amit Shah, the surrendered Maoists conveyed how they were benefitting from various government schemes, including jobs in the police and the private sector, and bank loans for starting their own ventures.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Two personnel of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) have been killed in action and two police personnel have been injured after an IED planted by Maoists exploded in Chhattisgarh.

Around noon on Saturday, teams from the ITBP, Border Security Force (BSF) and the District Reserve Guard were returning to Narayanpur after carrying out an operation in Dhurbeda when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded near Kodliyar village in the Abujhmad region. 

The two ITBP personnel who were killed in action are Amar Panwar from Satara in Maharashtra and K Rajesh from Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh. Both Panwar and Rajesh were 36 years old and were part of the 53rd Battalion of the ITBP. 

The two injured police personnel, from the Narayanpur district police, are undergoing treatment and are reported to be stable.

The IED explosion comes less than two weeks after 38 Maoists were killed in a massive operation by security forces in the Abujhmad region. The action by the forces on October 4 saw the most number of Maoists being killed in a single operation in Chhattisgarh’s 24-year-old history and they collectively carried a reward of Rs 2.62 crore.

Among the Maoists who were killed were Kamlesh alias RK, one of the most-wanted Maoist commanders, and Niti alias Urmila, a spokesperson for the group. Both were key figures in the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC), with Kamlesh being wanted in five states and Urmila playing a crucial role in the Maoist propaganda machinery.

Dantewada:

Nine Maoists were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Bastar region of Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, a senior police official said.

The gunfight broke out around 10.30 am in the forest along the border of Dantewada and Bijapur districts when a joint team of security forces was out on an anti-Maoist operation, Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range Sundarraj P told PTI.

Personnel belonging to the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were involved in the operation, which was launched based on inputs about the presence of Maoists belonging to its west Bastar division unit, he said.

The intermittent exchange of fire lasted for a long duration, following which the bodies of nine Maoists clad in ‘uniform’ were recovered from the spot, he said.

Besides, a huge cache of weapons was also seized from the encounter site, he said.

Security personnel were reported to be safe and the search operation was still underway in the area, he added.

Bastar region comprises seven districts, including Dantewada and Bijapur.

With this incident, 154 Maoists have been gunned down by the security forces in different encounters in Chhattisgarh so far this year, the police said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Chaibasa:

At least four Maoists, including a woman, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district on Monday, officials said.

The encounter broke out around 5 am near Lipunga area under Gua police station limit, around 200-km from Jharkhand’s capital Ranchi, they said.

“Four Maoists were killed in the gunfight, while two have been arrested,” Jharkhand Police spokesperson and IG (Operations), Amol V Homkar, told PTI.

Homkar said that one INSAS rifle, two SLRs, three rifles (.303) and one (9mm) pistol were recovered during the search operation.

Later briefing media persons, he said that the killed Maoists were identified from the primary sources as zonal commander Kande Honhaga, a resident of Thalkobad in Chaibasa and he was carrying a bounty on his head, sub-zonal commander Singrai alias Manoj, a resident of Jaigur police station area in Chhattisgarh, area commander Surya alias Munda Devgam and a woman cadre Junga Purty alias Marla.

According to police sources, Singrai was carrying a bounty of Rs 10 lakh, Kande Rs 5 lakh and Surya Rs 2 lakh.

Singrai and Kande were IED experts in the organization. Singrai was tasked to lay and monitor IEDs in the area, the IG said.

The Maoists, who were arrested, were identified as area commander Tiger alias Pandu Hansda and Batri Devgam, he said.

Homkar said that police got a tip-off that some Maoists including Ajay Mahto, Kande and Singrai from the squads of CPI (Maoist) politburo member Misir Besra and central committee member Anal gathered near Lipunga forests to carry out some major incident.

“On the basis of the input, security forces comprising Chaibasa police, CoBRA 209, Jharkhand Jaguar and CRPF carried out a joint search operation. When the team reached the area around 5 am, Maoists attacked the search team. In self-protection, security forces also resorted to firing. The gunfight continued for about an hour,” Homkar said.

As the gunfight was over, security forces searched the area and recovered four bodies along with arms and ammunition including sophisticated weapons.

“Two Maoists who were trying to escape were arrested by the security forces,” he said.

Homkar said that Kolhan and Sarnda are considered the only bastions of the Maoists in the state. “Due to continuous operations by security forces, Maoists have shrunk to only a few places. Police were able to check their activities from all its major pockets such as Buda Pahad, Chatra, Latehar, Gumla, Lohardaga, Ranchi and Parasnath,” he said.

Terming it a “historic” achievement, Homkar asked the Maoists to surrender before the police under the state government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Gadchiroli (Maharashtra):

Three Maoists, including two females, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district on Monday, police said.

An intelligence input was received that some members of the Perimili Dalam of Maoists were camping in a forest near Katrangatta village in Bhamragad taluka with an aim to carry out subversive activities during their ongoing Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC) period, Superintendent of Police Neelotpal said.

Two units of C-60 commandos, a specialised combat wing of the Gadchiroli police, were immediately sent for a search in the area, he said.

While the teams were carrying out the search operation, Maoists fired at them indiscriminately, to which the C-60 personnel retaliated, the official said.

After the firing stopped, the bodies of a male and two female Maoists were recovered from the spot, he said.

One of them was identified as Vasu, in-charge and commander of the Perimili Dalam, the official said.

An AK-47 rifle, a carbine, an INSAS rifle, Maoist literature and items were also found at the spot, he said.

The anti-Maoist operation was underway in the area, the police added.

Maoists undertake the TCOC from March-June to strengthen their cadres and launch major attacks on security forces as forests are devoid of green cover, thereby increasing visibility. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Raipur:

In a major anti-insurgency operation, eight Maoists were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh today, the police said.

Bijapur district comes under the Bastar Lok Sabha constituency, which will go to polls in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 19.

The gunfight took place at around 6 am in a forest near Lendra village under Gangaloor police station area, when a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Maoist operation, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P told PTI.

Personnel belonging to the District Reserve Guard, Special Task Force, Central Reserve Police Force and its elite unit Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) were involved in the operation, he said.

After the exchange of fire stopped, the bodies of four Maoists along with a light machine gun and other weapons were recovered from the spot, he said.

Later, four more bodies were found at the encounter site, the IG said, adding that search operation was still underway in the area.

Notably, Maoists carry out the Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC) in the summer season between March and June every year and step up their activities. A large number of attacks on security forces have taken place in the Bastar region during this period.

On March 27, six Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Basaguda area of Bijapur, police earlier said.

With the latest incident, 41 Maoists have been killed so far this year in separate encounters with security forces in Bastar region, comprising seven districts including Bijapur, according to police.

Bijapur:

A local leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was shot dead by Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on Wednesday, a police official said.

The victim, Kailash Nag, a construction contractor by profession, had given his JCB machine for a pond digging work in his village, he said.

This was the eighth killing of a BJP leader or member by Maoists in affected areas of the state in the last year.

The latest incident took place at around 5 pm in Bhurripani village under Jangla police station limits, the official said.

A pond digging work was underway in the village by the state forest department and a JCB machine of the victim Nag, a local BJP leader, was engaged in it, he said.

As per preliminary information, a group of Maoists reached the work site set the JCB machine on fire and fatally shot Nag, the official said.

Nag was a construction contractor by profession and an officer-bearer of ‘Vyapari Prakosth’ (traders cell) of the BJP in Bijapur district.

Last week, a local BJP leader, Tirupati Katla, was killed by Maoists in Toynar village in Bijapur district when he had gone to attend a wedding there.

Ahead of the Assembly polls in November 2023, Ratan Dubey, the BJP’s Narayanpur district unit vice-president, was hacked to death while he was campaigning. On October 20 last year, BJP worker Birju Taram was shot dead at Sarkheda village in Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district.

In June 2023, a local BJP leader was killed by Maoists in Bijapur district, while in February last year three leaders of the saffron party were murdered in separate incidents in the Bastar division, a Maoist hotbed.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Latehar:

At least four vehicles were set on fire and employees of a private firm assaulted at a railway construction site by members of the banned CPI (Maoist) at Chandwa in Latehar adjoining Ranchi border on Monday evening, police said.

The incident occurred near Chatti river bridge within Chandwa police station limits, they added.

Police said a group of Maoists reached the site and burnt three heavy vehicles and an SUV and assaulted the employees.

Police reached the spot and started an investigation.

The incident occurred exactly a month after six vehicles were set on fire and two employees of a private road construction company were assaulted by members of banned CPI (Maoist) in Palamu district.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)