The central government has announced that, as of March 31, the country will be free of left-wing Naxalism. Operation Kagar, launched to eliminate Maoists, has reached the deadline set by the government. Security forces have reportedly captured a significant number of Maoists across various states, while some surrendered voluntarily. Officials have warned that any remaining Maoists must surrender within a few hours, or security forces may take decisive action.
In a sensational statement in the Lok Sabha yesterday, Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed that the central committee of the Maoists has been neutralized. He emphasized that dialogue remains the solution to the insurgency and warned against any attempt to forcibly seize weapons. Amit Shah also highlighted the human cost of Maoist violence, stating that 20,000 people, including 5,000 security personnel, lost their lives, and blamed the 60-year Congress rule for the persistence of the movement.
The government considers the Dandakaranya region cleared, describing the forests as deserted and showing no signs of human activity. Reports suggest that almost all Maoists have surrendered, though several senior leaders are suspected to have fled abroad. Prominent Maoist leader Ganapati has not yet surrendered, and his whereabouts remain unknown to both surrendered Maoists and intelligence agencies. The fate of other underground Maoists is also uncertain, leaving questions about future surrenders or potential encounters.
Several key Maoist leaders, including first-generation cadres and central committee members such as Devji, Noone Narasimhareddy, Malla Rajireddy, Paparao, Mallojula Venugopal Rao, Ashanna, Kankanala Rajireddy, and Azad, have already surrendered. The decline of the Maoist party began after the Hidma encounter on November 18 last year. Security forces continue to comb forests in search of remaining Maoists, deploying approximately 15,000 personnel from the CRPF, BSF, and ITBP.
Despite ongoing operations, it remains unclear whether captured Maoists will be arrested or killed in encounters, as has been the case in the past. Overall, both the government and observers consider the Maoist movement effectively ended as of today. While immediate developments are still unfolding, the conclusion of the Maoist era appears imminent, marking a major milestone in India’s fight against left-wing extremism.