CPI (Maoist) acknowledge losing 357 cadres in encounters with security forces, says Bastar IG
The banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) has acknowledged in a recent letter released by its central committee that it has lost 357 members in various encounters with security forces across the country over the past year, said Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) P. Sundarraj on Wednesday (July 16, 2025).
Mr. Sundarraj said the admission highlighted 'the severe setbacks suffered by the outfit, especially in core conflict zones'.
Stating that these numbers were disclosed in a 24-page booklet released by the CPI (Maoist), Mr. Sundarraj said this list of Maoist casualties included four Central Committee (CC) members and 15 State Committee-level members, pointing to the loss of senior leadership and operational command within the outfit.
Looming deadline
With Union Home Minister Amit Shah setting a deadline of March 31, 2026 for the elimination of Maoism from the country, the forces are carrying out continuous anti-Naxal operations in Bastar. Recent successes in Chhattisgarh include the killing of general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju (70) who was neutralised by security forces in Narayanpur on May 21 and in a departure from the previous years, operations are continuing in monsoon this year.
'Significantly, the Dandakaranya region, which spans parts of Bastar Range districts and Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, has been identified as the area of maximum damage, with 281 Maoists neutralised in the past one year alone,' the IG said. Out of the 357 deceased, 136 were women cadres.
'As per the vision of the Government of India and the Government of Chhattisgarh, the security forces are adopting a pro-people and development-centric approach. This strategy, complemented by intelligence-based operations, has led to remarkable operational successes in recent times and is helping create a conducive environment for lasting peace in the region,' Mr. Sundarraj said.
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