Security Forces Intensify Anti-Naxal Ops As Deadline Nears; 500 Armed Maoists Left In 3 Chhattisgarh Districts, Say Police
"Odisha stands at the threshold of becoming completely free from Naxalism. We are resolved to eliminate Naxalism before March 31st, 2026," reiterated Amit Shah.
Published : December 26, 2025 at 5:18 PM IST
Raipur/Hyderabad: With barely three months left for the deadline set by the Central government to eliminate Left-Wing Extremism from every nook and corner of the country, suspense still surrounds the fate of remaining Maoists.
Intensifying combing, security forces have launched an offensive on the Dandakaranya forest in Chhattisgarh, considered a stronghold of the Maoists.
Sources said ever since the BJP government came to power in Chhattisgarh, more than 66,000 security personnel have been deployed in the last two years. Making it clear that Maoists have no option but to surrender, the government has been strategically gheraoing their hideouts and setting up camps at every 5 KM interval. So far, as many as 377 security camps have been established, including 74 camps this year alone, the highest in the last seven years. In 2019, the number was just 24.
In April this year, Maoists were active in a total of 18 districts, but by October, their presence was limited to only Bijapur, Sukma, and Narayanpur districts. This year alone, over 2000 Maoists have surrendered, and another thousand have been arrested. This apart, 335 Naxalites have been gunned down in encounters.
Police suspect that there are at least 500 Maoists including top leaders still capable of fighting, and all of them are hiding in these three districts. The chances of the Maoists escaping from the surrounding camps, the police deployed in them, and the continuous search operations are diminishing day by day.
Continuous search operations and the heavy presence of forces are making escape almost impossible. Security operations are being carried out within a 20-km radius of every camp, making movements risky for Maoists.
On Thursday, Maoist Central Committee member Ganesh Uike, alias Hanumanthu, was gunned down in an encounter in Kandhamal district of Odisha. A total of six Maoists were eliminated in the gunfight. Ganesh, aged around 69 years, belonged to Pullemla village in Chandur mandal under Nalgonda district of Telangana.
Acting on intelligence inputs about Maoist movement in Chakapada police limits, joint teams of SOG, CRPF and BSF launched a massive search operation on Thursday morning. After a fierce encounter in Gasma forests near Ganjam border, security forces recovered six bodies, along with two INSAS rifles and one .303 rifle.
Prior to that, Area Committee member Bari alias Rakesh and squad member Amrit, both from Chhattisgarh, were killed during an encounter in the Gumma forests on Wednesday night.
While geographical terrain in the concerned three districts of Chhattisgarh give an edge to the Maoists, a senior official said, "Search operations are being conducted within a 20-KM radius around each camp. Therefore, if they (Maoists) try to escape, it is certain that they will be caught."
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah reiterated government's commitment to eliminate Naxalism completely by March 31. After the Naxal encounter in Odisha on Thursday, Shah said, "Odisha stands at the threshold of becoming completely free from Naxalism. We are resolved to eliminate Naxalism before March 31st, 2026.
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