New Delhi: In two separate operations in the Bijapur and Kanker districts of Chhattisgarh, security forces reportedly killed at least 30 alleged ‘naxalites’. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, however, claimed 22 deaths.
The clash also reportedly resulted in the death of one District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel.
In Bijapur District, a joint operation involving the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was initiated early in the morning based on actionable intelligence.
The Union Home Ministry claimed this operation led to a fierce gunfight in a forested area near the Bijapur-Dantewada border, where reportedly 18 Naxalites were killed, and a substantial cache of weapons and explosives was seized.
In Kanker District, another coordinated effort resulted in the elimination of reportedly 12 additional alleged Naxalites, and the government claimed this further weakened the insurgent group’s presence in the region.
In light of these developments, Union Home Minister Amit Shah reiterated the government’s commitment to eradicating Naxalism by March 31, 2026. He emphasized that the sacrifices made by security forces would not be forgotten and assured that the campaign against Naxalite activities would be intensified.
Shah said the Central Government “is moving forward with a ruthless approach” against the Naxalites.
“Today our jawans have achieved another big success in the direction of a ‘Naxalmukt Bharat Abhiyan‘,” Shah posted on X.
He asserted that the government was adopting a “zero-tolerance policy against those Naxalites who are not surrendering despite all the facilities being offered to them, ranging from surrender to inclusion”.
A Union Home Ministry release stated, as part of zero-tolerance policy against Naxalism, 90 Naxals have been killed, 104 arrested, and 164 have surrendered in the year 2025 so far. In 2024, 290 Naxalites were neutralized, 1090 were arrested, and 881 surrendered. A total of 15 top Naxal leaders have been neutralized so far.
“Between 2004 and 2014, there were a total of 16,463 incidents of Naxal violence. However, during the tenure of the [Narendra]Modi government from 2014 to 2024, the number of violent incidents decreased by 53 per cent, dropping to 7,744. Similarly, the number of causalities of security forces decreased by 73 per cent, from 1851 to 509, and the number of civilian causalities decreased by 70 per cent, dropping from 4766 to 1,495,” it stated.
It further informed that by 2014, there were a total of 66 fortified police stations, but over the past 10 years, their number has increased to 612. Similarly, in 2014, 126 districts in the country were affected by Naxalism, but by 2024, the number of such districts has drastically reduced to only 12. In the past 5 years, a total of 302 new security camps and 68 night landing helipads have been established.
– global bihari bureau
