Once upon a time, Naxalites roamed freely in the forests of Chhattisgarh and various regions of Jharkhand. Thousands of them camped in the forests of Chhattisgarh. However, due to the relentless efforts of the security forces, their number has begun to decline rapidly. Their organization has been dismantled and the largest group, the Communist Party of India (Maoist) is now nearing its end. Its structure has also disintegrated. According to reports, only 300 Naxalites are left in the outfit.
The issue extends beyond the dwindling numbers of the foot soliders as there is leadership crisis within the organization. Naxalites now find themselves without any leaders. The top committee known as the Politburo consists of just 4 members while the central committee has reduced to only 14 individuals.
According to the Times of India report, 14 Naxalites of the Politburo have either been caught or killed since 2005 to 2025. Only 4 active members remain who are identifed as Muppalla Laxman Rao alias Ganpathy, Mallojula Venugopal alias Abhay, Thippiri Tirupathi alias Deoji, and Misir Besra.
It is presumed that Ganapathy has also died. However, the situation is still ambiguous. The membership of the central committee has rapidly declined. Its 26 members have faced arrest or death since 2007. Some have opted to surrender. Now, only 14 active members remain in the committee, including four Politburo leaders.
“The command structure of the Maoists is now in tatters. Consistent intelligence-led operations and surrenders have left the organisation fragmented and disoriented. In all, 300 armed cadres are hiding in scattered hideouts of Dandakarenya and few other pockets. The only options they have is to surrender or get eliminated,” conveyed Bastar IGP (Inspector General of Police) Sundarraj P.
The security forces have carried out numerous significant operations aimed at diminishing the structure of the Naxalite organization. A considerable number of their prominent leaders have been neutralized during the action. The security forces succeeded in killing the top Naxalite commander Bhaskar in a recent operation in the Bijapur district. he had a bounty of ₹45 lakh and was among the remaining important Naxalite leaders in the region.
In May 2025, the security forces took down the notorious Naxalite leader Nambala Keshav Rao, also known as Basavaraju. This incident is the first of its kind in over 30 years, involving the death of a major Naxalite leader. The operation was carried out by the special unit District Reserve Guard (DRG) of the Chhattisgarh Police.
Furthermore, on 6th June, Narasimha Chalam also known as Sudhakar, another influential Naxal commander was also slain in the same district. After Basavaraju, Sudhakar was regarded as a key figure in the movement and carried a 40 lakh reward on his head. He studied Ayurveda before becoming a Naxalite.
The action against Naxalites has gained momentum after 2024. The DRG, CRPF and police are constantly carrying out large-scale operations to wipe out Naxalites. Over 30 Naxalites have been eliminated in various operations. A report revealed that in 2024, 290 Naxalites were encountered, 1,090 were arrested and 881 surrendered. Notably, government action has increased by twofold since 2025. The year has seen the deaths of 226 Naxalites, 418 have been taken into custody and 896 gave up arms out of fear of death. Strongholds of the Naxalites, such as Karregutta Hills have also been evacuated.
Union Home Minsiter Amit Shah has stated unequivocally that naxalism will be eradicated from India. His goal is to remove naxalism from the nation by 31st March 2026. Additionally, Naxalites are being offered the opportunity to surrender, however, if they decide otherwise, they will have to face the bullets of security forces.
