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Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Modi-Shah's unwavering resolve against Naxalism is bearing results
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has achieved what no Indian leader before him could — he has broken the backbone of Naxalism through an unrelenting mix of resolve, strategic clarity, and national will. That mission saw another major victory in Jharkhand recently. Last week, the Latehar police, in a joint operation with the CRPF, under the leadership of SP Kumar Gaurav, achieved a big success. In a fierce encounter in the forests of Ichawar, Latehar district, the forces neutralised Pappu Lohra, the top commander of the Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP), carrying a reward of Rs 15 lakh. Alongside him, Prabhat Ganjhu, another dreaded extremist with a Rs 5 lakh bounty, was also gunned down. This marks a decisive step forward in restoring peace in Jharkhand's Naxal-hit regions. This follows another historic breakthrough in Chhattisgarh, where 26 Naxals, including top Maoist leader Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavraj, were neutralised by security forces. Basavraj — the general secretary of the banned CPI (Maoist) and one of the most elusive Maoist leaders — carried a bounty of Rs 1 crore. His elimination has dealt perhaps the biggest blow ever to the Maoist movement, shattering both its ideological leadership and operational backbone. This is not an isolated success; it is the result of a decade-long campaign against Left-wing extremism waged under Modi's leadership and Union Home Minister Amit Shah's precise and forceful execution. The red corridor — once a symbol of bloodshed, state retreat, and Maoist tyranny — is now shrinking both geographically and ideologically. When PM Modi assumed office in 2014, the Naxal threat was at a dangerous peak. Over 120 districts, spanning dense forests in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Maharashtra, lay under the shadow of Maoist rule, enforced not by law but by guns. The state vacillated between paralysis and misplaced appeasement. Civilians paid the price with high casualties, security forces were repeatedly ambushed, and India's internal security apparatus was stretched thin. The country's unity and sovereignty were under severe threat. Modi's approach was radically different. He declared Naxalism the country's most serious internal security threat and vowed not merely to manage but to decisively defeat it. This vision has evolved into a comprehensive, multi-pronged strategy — blending tactical precision, last-mile development, and deep political will. The results today speak volumes. From 126 Naxal-affected districts in 2014, the number has been pared down to just 38. The most affected districts have halved from 12 to six; districts of concern dropped from nine to six, and the category of other LWE-affected districts plummeted from 17 to six. Violent incidents attributed to Maoists have fallen by over 50 per cent since 2013 — from 1,091 to 412 in 2023. Civilian deaths have declined by a staggering 86 per cent, and casualties among security personnel have reduced by 77 per cent. In 2014, 56 jawans were martyred while 63 Naxals were killed; today, these numbers have reversed, proving the state has regained control and momentum. But the Modi-Shah doctrine is not just about guns and operations. It embodies a philosophy of replacing alienation with aspiration. Recognising that Naxalism thrives in areas of deprivation and neglect, the government launched massive development initiatives in insurgency-affected tribal regions. Thousands of kilometres of roads have been constructed, opening up villages once cut off from the rest of the country. Mobile network coverage in core LWE areas soared from under 30 per cent to over 90 per cent, connecting millions digitally for the first time. The government's Special Central Assistance Scheme guarantees Rs 30 crore annually to each severely affected district, ensuring targeted development reaches the grassroots. Over Rs 6,500 crore has been disbursed to enhance police capabilities, build infrastructure, and modernise security forces. Piped water, solar lighting, health centres, fortified police stations — are all now visible in areas that were once lawless and unreachable. This is governance reclaiming the lost spaces of the republic. Equally crucial has been the humane policy of surrender and rehabilitation. More than 8,000 Naxals have laid down their arms since 2014, with 1,600 surrendering in just the past 16 months. These former militants, many battle-hardened cadres, are being offered new lives through rehabilitation and skill development, further weakening the insurgency. Shah's clear dual-track approach — embrace those who return to peace, crush those who persist in violence — has delivered far better results than decades of vacillation. While the Modi-Shah doctrine has shown unwavering resolve, the contrast with the previous UPA regime could not be starker. The UPA government's approach to Naxalism was marked by confusion, inconsistency, and a clear lack of political will. While the then Union Home Minister P Chidambaram famously declared in 2011 that 'winning hearts is key to winning the battle against Naxalism' and ruled out the possibility of a military operation, senior Congress leaders like K Keshava Rao openly labelled Naxalism as a 'socio-economic problem', urging the Centre to 'solve it instead of running away from it.' The most glaring example was the appointment of Binayak Sen — convicted on the charge of being a Maoist sympathiser — to the Planning Commission's Steering Committee on Health during the drafting of the 12th Five Year Plan. The results today are a testament to the government's unwavering resolve and strategic clarity. Through a calibrated blend of security action, development outreach, and political determination, Naxalism has been taken up head on. As India marches toward a Naxal-free future by 2026, PM Modi's doctrine stands as a model of how strong leadership can overcome even the most entrenched internal threats. The writer is national spokesperson, BJP
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Time of India
Maoist sub-zonal commander killed, one arrested in Latehar
Daltonganj: Two days after Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP) Pappu Lohra and his aide were killed, security forces in Latehar gunned down a sub-zonal commander of CPI (Maoist) and arrested another operative in a gunfight in the early hours of Monday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Manish Yadav (30), the deceased sub-zonal commander, carried a bounty of Rs 5 lakh. Wanted in 40 criminal cases in Jharkhand, Manish was a native of Chakar Bandha village under Doomarya police station limits in Bihar's Gaya district. Kundan Kherwar (35), another Maoist zonal commander, was nabbed along with a X 95 automatic weapon. Wanted in 27 cases across Jharkhand, Kundan is a native of Manika police station limits in Latehar. A X 95 was also found on Manish, the police said. Latehar SP Kumar Gaurav said a gun battle broke out between a Maoist unit and a joint team of district police and a small action team of the India Reserve Battalion at Neeche Douna between 1:30-2 am on Monday. "The fight, which lasted 45 minutes," Gaurav said. Neecha Douna, which has been a Maoist stronghold for years, is 20 kilometres from Netarhat police station. After Manish was killed and Kundan was apprehended, the rest of the squad made a hasty retreat, Gaurav said. "The operation was held based on a tip that a Maoist squad had assembled at Neeche Douna," the SP said. JJMP chief Lohra, along with his second-in-command Prabhat Ganjhu, were killed in an encounter with the district police at Ichabar under Latehar police station limits on May 24. Meanwhile, SP Palamu said that an exchange of firing between the Palamu police and the dasta of the Maoists of Nitesh is underway under the Hussainabad police station limits in Palamu. Nitesh carries a reward of Rs 10 lakh.
Mint
26-05-2025
- Mint
Jharkhand: CPI (Maoist) Manish Yadav with ₹5 lakh bounty killed in gunfight; another arrested
A senior police official said that a member of the banned CPI (Maoist), identified as Manish Yadav, who carried a bounty of ₹ 5 lakh on his head, was killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jharkhand's Latehar district on Monday, while another was arrested. This comes after two maoists were killed in an anti-Naxal operation on May 24. Another red rebel was arrested during the operation, he said. "Manish Yadav, who was carrying a reward of ₹ 5 lakh on his head, was killed in the gunfight with security forces. Another Maoist, Kundan Kherwar, was arrested," Palamu DIG YS Ramesh told PTI. Kundan is stated to be carrying a bounty of ₹ 10 lakh on his head. However, Ramesh said that the reward on Kundan's head is yet to be verified. The encounter between security forces and Maoists broke out in a forest in Dauna under the Mauhadand Police Station limits on Sunday night, he said. The operation was conducted barely two days after two Maoists, including JJMP supremo Pappu Lohra, who was carrying a bounty of ₹ 10 lakh on his head, were killed in an anti-Naxal operation by security forces in the district. On May 24, Lohra, the chief of the proscribed Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP), a Maoist splinter group, and his associate Prabhat Ganjhu, the sub-zonal commander of the organisation, were killed during the operation. Ganjhu was carrying a bounty of ₹ 5 lakh on his head. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Jharkhand Police conducted the joint operation in the Ichabar forest region, falling under the jurisdiction of the Latehar Police Station. Lohra was wanted in 98 cases, comprising murder, extortion, and arson, across several districts such as Lohardaga, Gumla, Chatra, Palamu, and Latehar. Ganjhu was wanted in 15 cases, according to Ramesh.
United News of India
26-05-2025
- United News of India
Maoist killed, another arrested in Jharkhand encounter
Ranchi, May 26 (UNI) In a police crackdown against Naxalites, CPI (Maoist) 'commander' Manish Yadav, carrying a bounty of ₹5 lakh, was killed and another top Maoist, Kundan Kherwar, with a bounty of ₹10 lakh, was arrested in an encounter in Latehar district of Jharkhand. Police sources said the encounter began on Sunday night and continued till Monday morning. After the operation, Manish Yadav's body was recovered during a search operation. A cache of arms was seized from the site. On May 24, a team led by SP Kumar Gaurav had killed JJMP chief Pappu Lohra, carrying a bounty of ₹10 lakh, and another Maoist, Prabhat Ganjhu, with a bounty of ₹5 lakh, in Ichabar forest area of Latehar. UNI XC AKT PRS
The Hindu
26-05-2025
- The Hindu
CPI (Maoist) with ₹5 lakh bounty killed in gunfight in Jharkhand
A member of the banned CPI (Maoist), who was carrying a bounty of ₹5 lakh on his head, was killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jharkhand's Latehar district on Monday (May 26, 2025), a senior police official said. Another red rebel was arrested during the operation, he said. The encounter between security forces and Maoists broke out in a forest in Dauna under the Mauhadand Police Station limits on Sunday night, he said. "Manish Yadav, who was carrying a reward of ₹5 lakh on his head, was killed in the gunfight with security forces. Another Maoist, Kundan Kherwar, was arrested," Palamu DIG YS Ramesh told PTI. Kundan is stated to be carrying a bounty of ₹10 lakh on his head. However, Mr. Ramesh said that the reward on Kundan's head is yet to be verified. The operation was conducted barely two days after two Maoists, including JJMP supremo Pappu Lohra, who was carrying a bounty of ₹10 lakh on his head, were killed in an anti-Maoist operation by security forces in the district. On May 24, Lohra, the chief of the proscribed Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP), a Maoist splinter group, and his associate Prabhat Ganjhu, the sub-zonal commander of the organisation, were killed during the operation. Ganjhu was carrying a bounty of ₹5 lakh on his head. The joint operation was carried out by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Jharkhand Police in the Ichabar forest area under the Latehar Police Station limits. Editorial | Decisive moment: On Chhattisgarh anti-Maoist operation Lohra was wanted in 98 cases, including murder, extortion, and arson, across several districts such as Lohardaga, Gumla, Chatra, Palamu, and Latehar. Ganjhu was wanted in 15 cases, according to Mr. Ramesh. Both were allegedly involved in the killing of Jharkhand Jaguar deputy commandant Rajesh Kumar during an operation in September 2021.
