Earlier, the Gariaband Superintendent of Police, Nikhil Rakhecha, in a statement, stated that more than 14 Naxals were killed during a joint anti-Naxal operation by the Gariaband Operation Group E30, Cobra 207, CRPF 65 and 211 Battalions, and SOG Nuapada. However, later two more dead bodies were recovered taking the toll of deaths to 16.
Notably, the security forces were also able to kill a member of the Naxalite Central Committee, Jairam alias Chalpati, who had a reward of one crore on his head. Home Minister Amit Shah lauded the operation and hailed the officers for taking a step ahead to make India a Naxal-free country.
“Another mighty blow to Naxalism. Our security forces achieved major success in building a Naxal-free Bharat. The CRPF, SoG Odisha, and Chhattisgarh Police neutralized 14 Naxalites in a joint operation along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border. With our resolve for a Naxal-free India and the joint efforts of our security forces, Naxalism is breathing its last today,” he said.
Another mighty blow to Naxalism. Our security forces achieved major success towards building a Naxal-free Bharat. The CRPF, SoG Odisha, and Chhattisgarh Police neutralised 14 Naxalites in a joint operation along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border. With our resolve for a Naxal-free…
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 21, 2025
Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma also said that the elimination of Jairam was a success for the security forces and many automatic weapons had been seized in the encounter.
“14 Naxalites have been killed in 2 days. The special thing is that Odisha cadre CC member Jairam has been killed in Chhattisgarh and the killing of a CC member is the first such incident in the history of Naxal operations to date. Overall, there must have been a reward of more than one crore rupees on his head. So the police have had a big success. Many automatic weapons have also been recovered in this… By March 2026, Naxalism will be completely eradicated not only from Chhattisgarh but from the whole of India,” he said.
VIDEO | Visuals of huge cache of arms and ammunitions recovered following an encounter along the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border in Chhattisgarh's Gariaband district, in which 14 Naxalites have been killed. pic.twitter.com/Wgd7MIEO8V
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 21, 2025
The Odisha Police released an official statement in the case and said that they had obtained intelligence inputs about the presence of a large number of Maoists since 19th January. “Since the night of January 19, there were intelligence inputs about the presence of a large number of Maoists in the Kularighat reserve forest of Chhattisgarh, just 5 km from the border of Nuapada district of Odisha. A joint inter-state operation was launched by Odisha and Chhattisgarh police and CRPF personnel in the border areas of Nuapada district of Odisha and Gariaband district of Chhattisgarh on the night of 19th January,” it said.
The police said that the slain Naxals included women cadre too and a large quantity of firearms, ammunition, and Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) including one SLR were recovered by the security forces on the very same day.
“In continuation to the above, in the ongoing operation, 12 more Maoists have been killed during the late night and early morning encounter with the SOG team during the ongoing joint inter-state operation on the early morning of 21 January 2025. The number of Maoist casualties may increase. Arms and ammunition have been seized in massive amounts,” the police added in an official statement.
Naxalism set roots in India in 1960s-70s
It is crucial to note that the movement of Naxalism began in the late 1960s when the locals from the Naxalbari village of West Bengal rebelled against the landlords who allegedly tortured the peasants over a land dispute. The movement soon spread to less developed areas such as Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and the eastern part of Maharashtra, Karnataka, etc. However, later these Naxals began supporting Maoist political sentiments and ideology that aimed at capturing state power through armed insurgency and mass mobilization.
Since then, India has faced security threats at the hands of insurgency groups, often supported by Communists and even terrorists. At times, the involvement of ISI Pakistan has also been reported in such cases. Currently, though many states have Maoist activities, Chhattisgarh is the only state in India where Maoists maintain a significant presence and the ability to launch large-scale attacks.
Over one-third of all Maoist-related violence and between 70% and 90% of all Maoist-related deaths have occurred in Chhattisgarh over the decade.
The movement has been posing a threat to India’s democratic system for years, but if we go on to specifically look at the data from the past two years, several security personnel have been killed, many innocents have been killed assuming they were ‘police personnel’ and many others have faced threats.
Naxal incidents from the past two years
In November 2023, a few hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Kanker, Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, Naxals murdered three villagers, labeling them as “police informers.” It was reported that, alone in the Bastar region, the Naxals had murdered 569 innocent villagers in the past 10 years.
In addition to their targeting of security forces, politicians, and government officials, Naxals have consistently resorted to the abduction and execution of villagers as their standard operating procedure. In addition to their targeting of security forces, politicians, and government officials, Naxals have consistently resorted to the abduction and execution of villagers as their standard operating procedure.
In April of that year, an IED blast by Naxal terrorists killed 10 personnel of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and a civilian driver. The IED blast was aimed at the vehicle carrying the DRG personnel. The incident occurred in the Aranpur area of Dantewada during an anti-Naxal operation. Many jawans were injured and several vehicles were damaged.
#WATCH | On reports of an IED attack by naxals on security personnel in Dantewada, claiming the lives of 11 personnel, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel says, "There is such information with us. It is very saddening. My condolences to the bereaved families. This fight is in its last… https://t.co/n1YV67sIoi pic.twitter.com/CC8Dj0uAca
— ANI (@ANI) April 26, 2023
In March 2023, an officer of the Chhattisgarh Armed Forces (CAF) was killed by unidentified Naxals in an explosion triggered by an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Bijapur of Chhattisgarh. The police informed that the officer belonged to the 19th battalion of CAF’s D-Company and was a native of Uttar Pradesh. The Naxals fled the area taking advantage of forest cover.
In February 2023, BJP district vice president Sagar Sahu (47) was killed at his home in Chhote Dongar village, by Naxals in Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh. Two Naxalites reached Sahu’s home on a bike, knocked on his door, and fired two rounds from an AK-47 as soon as the door was opened. Following the encounter, both Maoists rode away into the jungle.
On February 5 of that year, Neelkanth Kakkem, the head of the Usoor Block (Bijapur District) of the BJP Mandal, was dragged from his house and mercilessly hacked to death by axes and knives in front of his family by Maoists.
In November 2023, a CRPF jawan was injured in a Sukma IED blast set off by Naxals in the midst of the state elections.
In 2019, at least 15 security personnel and one driver were killed in a Maoist attack in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district. Naxals had also allegedly set ablaze 27 machines and vehicles near a road construction site in Kurkheda of Gadchiroli district.
Recently in July 2024, two personnel of the Special Task Force (STF) were killed and four others were injured after Naxalites denoted an improvised explosive device (IED) in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district. “The incident took place on Wednesday night in Tarrem area when a joint team of security personnel was returning after an anti-Naxalite operation in forests on the tri-junction of Bijapur-Sukma-Dantewada districts,” the police was quoted as saying.
In January 2025, 2 personnel of the Border Security Force were injured when Maoists set off an improvised explosive device (IED) in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district. This happened on 17h January, 5 days after a 10-year-old girl was injured in Sukma district and two policemen sustained wounds in Bijapur district in similar pressure IED blasts.
Notably, on 6th January of this year, Eight police personnel and their civilian driver were killed when Maoists blew up a vehicle with an IED in the Bijapur district.
It is crucial to note that these are a few incidents reported from the last two years in which either innocent villagers or government officers have lost their lives at the hands of left-wing extremists (LWE). As per the government data released in July 2023, there have been 7,649 LWE-related incidents and 2,020 deaths since 2014. In 2023 alone around 31 security personnel lost their lives and in 2024 around 23 did, all at the hands of Naxal leaders.
Naxal-affected districts in India
Notably, the districts affected by Naxalism in the country of India are Giridih, Gumla, Latehar, Lohardaga, West Singhbhum- in Jharkhand; Bastar, Bijapur, Dhamtari, Mohalla-Manpur-Ambagarh chowki Gariyaband, Kanker, Dantewada, Kondagaon, Mahasamund, Rajnandgaon, Khairgarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai, Sukma, Kabirdham, Mungeli, Narayanpur- in Chhattisgarh; Bolangir, Kandhamal, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Nabrangpur, Rayagada, Nuapada- in Odisha; Bhadradri Kothagudem, Mulugu- in Telangana; Alluri Sitarama Raju in Andhra Pradesh; Kannur, Wayanad- in Kerala; Balaghat, Mandla, Dindori- in Madhya Pradesh; Gadchiroli, Gondia- in Maharashtra and Jhargram in West Bengal.
These districts continue to be affected by the presence of Naxal leaders and Maoists however, there has been a decline in the Maoist violence and the Left Wing Extremism in the country under the national BJP rule.
Maoist violence decreasing under Modi-rule
The Ministry of Home Affairs in the year 2021 stated that the Maoist violence in the country had gone down by 77% since 2010. The government said that steadfast implementation of the National Policy and Action Plan to address the Left Wing Extremism had led to a 77% fall in the LWE. The National Policy and Action Plan (2015) is a multifaceted strategy that includes development projects, security measures, and protection of the rights and entitlements of local communities. Reports mention that violence from 2258 incidents in 2009 had come down to 509 in 2021. Also, the number of resultant deaths has reduced by 90% from 1,005 in 2010 to 98 in 2022.
The Indian government has taken several measures to eradicate Left-Wing extremism. The Ministry of Home Affairs in the year 2006 formed a special division to address effectively the Left Wing Extremist insurgency in a holistic manner. The LWE Division implements security-related programs aimed at increasing capacity in LWE-affected regions. The Division also keeps an eye on the LWE situation and the countermeasures implemented by the states that have been impacted.
The LWE Division further coordinates the execution of various development schemes of the Government of India’s Ministries/Departments in LWE-affected States. In the past few years, the Indian government has also conducted several anti-Naxal operations killing Naxalites, in a step forward to make India a Naxal-free country.
On 16th January 2025, twelve Naxal terrorists were neutralized during an encounter between the security forces and Naxalites in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh. The encounter ensued when a joint team of security personnel was conducting an anti-Naxalite operation in the forest of the south Bijapur region.
On 12th January 2025, 5 Naxals including two women, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Bijapur. Security forces intensified anti-naxal operations in Bijapur after a ghastly IED attack was carried out by Maoists on a vehicle of security forces on January 6th.
In June 2024, eight Naxals were killed in an encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district. “The gunfight between Naxals and security forces broke out in the forest of Abhujmad when a joint team of the security personnel from four districts, Narayanpur, Kanker, Dantewada, and Kondagaon was out on an anti-Naxal operation,” the police said.
In October 2024, security forces in Chhattisgarh conducted the state’s largest anti-Naxal operation in its 24-year history resulting in the death of 31 Maoists, with no casualties on the side of the security forces.
In January 2025, two women Naxals were killed in an encounter with security forces in Gariaband district of Chhattisgarh.
In July 2024, 12 Naxalites were killed in a major anti-Naxal operation in the Wandoli village on the Chhattisgarh-Maharashtra border. CM Eknath Shinde had taken cognizance of the event and congratulated the state police on the operation.
In November 2024, Naxalite Vikram Gowda was killed in a gunfight in the state of Karnataka.
On 22nd January 2025, security forces in Jharkhand neutralized two Naxals.
Amit Shah echoes zero-tolerance towards LWE & 100% implementation of govt schemes
There are several such cases to cite from the past two years portraying the Centre’s non-tolerance approach towards Naxalism. Home Minister Amit Shah in October 2024 lauded the state efforts and said that all LWE-affected states, working shoulder to shoulder, are committed to completely eliminating Naxalism by March 2026. He mentioned that Prime Minister Modi has set the goal of making India a developed nation by the year 2047, and our 8 crore tribal brothers and sisters have a very important role in it.
“The biggest obstacle in bringing development to remote areas and tribal communities today is Naxalism. Naxalism prevents education, healthcare, connectivity, banking, and postal services from reaching villages. In order to ensure that the development reaches the last person in society, we must completely eliminate Naxalism,” Shah opined.
“Through the joint efforts of the central and state governments, we aim to replace the darkness created by left-wing extremism with constitutional rights and start a new era of development and trust instead of the violent ideology of left-wing. With a zero-tolerance approach towards left-wing extremism and 100% implementation of government schemes, we want to fully develop the LWE-affected areas,” he added.
Development by centre in LWE affected areas
As per the data released by the Centre, more than 10,300 km of roads have been already constructed in LWE-affected areas under the specific schemes. 2,343 mobile towers have been installed under Phase I and a work order has been issued for 2,542 towers under Phase II of the mobile connectivity project for LWE Affected Areas. Rs 3,078 crore has been released to the Most LWE affected districts under the scheme ‘Special Central Assistance (SCA)’ to fill the critical gaps in public infrastructure and services. A special focus has further been given to the skill development and entrepreneurship of the youth. 47 ITIs and 68 Skill Development Centers (SDC) have been approved under the Skill Development Scheme in 47 LWE Districts affected by LWE’.
For financial inclusion of the local populace in these areas, 1,236 bank branches have been opened, 1,077 ATMs have been installed and 14,230 banking correspondents have been made functional in most LWE-affected districts under the leadership of PM Modi. Further, 4,903 post offices have also been approved for LWE-affected areas in the last 7 years, of which, 3,053 have been made functional.
As per recent data, from 2014-2024, around 8551 Naxal terrorists have been neutralized, and many thousands have surrendered across the country. In major events in 2024-2025, 11 Naxals surrendered in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra; six surrendered in Karnataka; in December 2024, 11 surrendered in Odisha; in April 18 Naxals surrendered in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada in April 2024; in July 4 surrendered from the state; 9 surrendered in Odisha; and the list goes on.
Conclusion: Difference between India’s social, and economic realities and Maoist ideology needs to be highlighted
Though the center is taking massive steps to fight the problem of Naxalism, there are several areas in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and even parts of Maharashtra that remain affected by the problem. Notably, considering the Centre’s efforts through a holistic approach focusing on development and security-related interventions, the LWE problem can be successfully tackled. The extremists certainly do not want any kind of development in LWE-affected areas and so their frequent targets remain school buildings, roads, railways, bridges, health infrastructure, and communication facilities. As stated by the Centre, these attacks stem from a “desire to keep the population in their areas of influence marginalized to perpetuate their outdated and failed ideology”.
The influence of LWE has held up development in several affected areas across the nation. Civil societies and media must recognise this and raise their voices against Naxal activities, pushing extremists to abandon violence and surrender to the authorities. The difference between India’s social, economic, and political realities and Maoist ideology needs to be highlighted as violence can in no way lead to a democracy that strives to offer accessible means and resources to address grievances.
