Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh) [India], November 15 (HBTV): Inspector General of Police, Bastar, P Sundarraj has said the state forces remain confident of achieving the goal of making Chhattisgarh Naxal-free by March 31, 2026. He added that in the past 20 months, more than 2,200 Naxals have joined the mainstream.
Speaking to ANI, Sundarraj said left-wing extremism has long posed a major security challenge not only for Bastar and Chhattisgarh but also for several parts of the country. He noted that the last few years have been decisive for the security forces in the Bastar region, with more than 450 Naxal bodies recovered in the last two seasons. Bodies of senior cadres, including Basavaraju and others, were among the recoveries. He added that over the past few months, more than 300 Maoist cadres, including central committee members, Politburo members and divisional committee members, have surrendered.
He said more than 210 Maoist cadres laid down their arms on October 17 alone.
Sundarraj said they are aware of the cadres still active and continue to track them. He said their options are limited, stating they must either surrender or face action. He also expressed confidence that the problem will be resolved within the timeline set by the Central and state governments.
He said Chhattisgarh’s rehabilitation policy has proved effective, with surrendered cadres receiving skill development training, economic benefits and monetary assistance to help them reintegrate into society.
Highlighting the impact of the comprehensive action plan, he said more than 450 Naxal bodies have been recovered in the last two seasons and more than 2,200 Naxals have joined the mainstream. He added that the operational, developmental and confidence-building approach adopted by the government has weakened the Maoist network, disrupted its funding and crippled its logistics. He said the CPI (Maoist) is currently facing a leadership crisis and is in poor condition.
Sundarraj said Bijapur, Sukma and Narayanpur remain the most critical districts in efforts to eliminate left-wing extremism. He added that in other parts of Bastar, the cadre strength has already been neutralised or reintegrated, and the Naxal network effectively dismantled. Security forces, he said, continue to work towards eliminating the remaining pockets.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier said Chhattisgarh is steadily freeing itself from Maoist violence, expressing confidence that the day India becomes free of the threat is not far. Addressing the Chhattisgarh Rajat Mahotsav in Nava Raipur on November 1, he recalled the suffering of people over decades of violence and emphasised that only three districts in the country remain affected by left-wing extremism.
In October, Union Home Minister Amit Shah welcomed the surrender of 21 Maoists in Kanker district and reiterated the government’s resolve to eradicate Naxalism by March 31, 2026. (ANI)