Silent terror new guerrilla tactic: Strangle not shoot to skirt forces
Nagpur: In a chilling shift of tactic, Maoists in Gadchiroli and Chhattisgarh have abandoned their signature headshot killings for a more sinister method — strangulation — to terrorise civilians and reassert their waning influence in erstwhile strongholds.
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This new trend, as observed in recent civilian killings, reflects the rebels' desperation in the backdrop of intensified security operations, likely scarcity of ammunition and avoiding any unwarranted attention of security forces, as per senior police officials.
In Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, Maoists recently strangled five villagers, accusing them of being police informers, an act confirmed by police as a deliberate attempt to instil fear.
Similarly, in Gadchiroli, two key civilian killings this year, including the strangulation of 45-year-old Sukhram Madavi in Kiyer village on February 2, 2025, mark a departure from the Maoists' traditional use of firearms.
Madavi, a former village panchayat head, was targeted for allegedly aiding police. "We have noticed Maoists resorting to strangulating civilians rather than pumping bullets in the head. This change may have been triggered either by a fear of exposing their location and movements or a scarcity of ammunition," said a senior Maharashtra police official.
The last firearm-related civilian killing was reported in Gadchiroli in March 2023.
Maoists are visibly facing heat following relentless operations by security forces including setting up of new camps in once considered 'no-go' areas like Abujmarh. A security agency report estimates less than 500 active Maoist cadres currently active across India and with influence confined to a few districts including Gadchiroli (Maharashtra), Bijapur and Sukma (both Chhattisgarh).
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The Maoists' targets often include former aides or surrendered cadres. "The Maoists are targeting their former aides out of deep frustration. Surrendered Maoists are not allowed to return to their villages and hence their relatives are targeted," the Maharashtra police official added. Police have cautioned former associates of Maoists to avoid venturing out at night or entering Maoist-dominated areas, as the insurgents seek to punish perceived betrayals.
This tactical shift comes amid significant Maoist losses. In 2025 alone, over 400 Maoists were killed in Chhattisgarh including top leader Nambala Keshava Rao, alias Basavaraju, in a major operation in Narayanpur. As security forces close in, with a govt deadline to eradicate Maoism by March 2026, the Maoists' silent killings signal a desperate bid to cling to their fading influence in India's tribal heartlands.
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