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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.
New Indian Express
26-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Maoist commander killed in police encounter in Jharkhand's Latehar
RANCHI: Maoist commander Manish Yadav, who had a bounty of ₹5 lakh on his head, was killed in an encounter with security forces in Latehar in Jharkhand late Sunday night. Meanwhile, another wanted Maoist, Kundar Kherwar, who carried a reward of ₹10 lakh, was arrested from the encounter site. According to police officials, the gunfight took place in the forests of Karamkhad and Dauna under the Mahuadanr Police Station in Latehar. An intensive search operation is underway in the area to locate other Maoists believed to be hiding in the jungles. Police sources said the encounter began late Sunday night and continued until Monday morning. During the post-encounter search operation, the body of a Maoist was recovered and later identified as Manish Yadav. Palamu DIG Y.S. Ramesh confirmed the incident. "Following a tip-off that Maoist Manish Yadav had been seen in the forest with his squad, a police team was formed, and a search operation was launched. However, as soon as the Maoists spotted the security forces, they opened fire. The security forces retaliated, killing Manish Yadav on the spot," said DIG Ramesh. Two automatic rifles and other daily-use items were recovered from the site. With the elimination of Manish Yadav, the leadership of Bihar-based Maoist units in the Budha Pahad training center has effectively ended. A resident of Chhakarbandha in Gaya district, Yadav was considered the last top Maoist commander from Bihar active in the Budha Pahad region. He had been operating in the area for over a decade. Manish Yadav began as an ordinary cadre in the Maoist squad and gradually rose to the rank of sub-zonal commander. His in-laws reportedly live in the same area where the encounter occurred. This marks the second major success for the Jharkhand Police in recent days. On Friday night, Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP) commander Pappu Lohra and sub-zonal commander Prabhat Ganjhu were also killed in an encounter. Lohra and Ganjhu had bounties of ₹10 lakh and ₹5 lakh respectively on their heads.
India Today
26-05-2025
- India Today
Naxal carrying Rs 5 lakh bounty killed in gunfight in Jharkhand's Latehar
A Naxal with a reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head was shot dead in a gunfight with security forces in Jharkhand's Latehar Naxalite was killed in an encounter with police that lasted from late Sunday night to Monday morning. Palamu DIG YS Ramesh has confirmed the killing of the police also arrested another Naxaal, Kundan Kherwar, who had a reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head. Police have also recovered two automatic rifles from the The encounter took place between Karamkhad and Dauna of Mahuadanr police station area.'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 Deputy Inspector General YS Ramesh told the encounter, a search operation is being conducted by the Latehar police had received a tip that Naxalite commander Manish Yadav, along with his squad, was moving through the forest area between Douna and Karamkhar in the Mahuadanr police station region. After receiving the information, a police team was formed, and an operation to surround the Naxalites was initiated. During this operation, an encounter took place between the police and the Naxalites, in which Naxalite commander Manish Yadav was comes just two days after the Latehar police had killed Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP) chief Pappu Lohra and sub-zonal commander Prabhat Ganjhu in an encounter.
Hans India
25-05-2025
- Hans India
Two top Maoist leaders killed in J'khand action
Jharkhand: Two senior leaders of the Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP), a splinter Maoist outfit, were killed in a gunfight on Saturday during an anti-Naxal operation in the forests of Latehar district. One of the slain militants, Pappu Lohra, was the supremo of the JJMP and carried a bounty of Rs 10 lakh on his head. His associate, identified as Prabhat Ganjhu, had a reward of Rs 5 lakh. The gun battle took place under the jurisdiction of the Latehar Police Station and was the result of a joint operation by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Jharkhand Police, launched on the basis of intelligence input regarding the presence of Lohra and his group in the area. According to Palamu DIG YS Ramesh, the Maoists opened fire on the approaching security personnel, prompting a retaliatory response. Both Lohra and Ganjhu were killed in the ensuing exchange of fire. Latehar Superintendent of Police Kumar Gaurav led the operation, which is reportedly still ongoing. In addition to the two fatalities, another JJMP member was injured and subsequently arrested. Security forces also recovered an INSAS rifle from the site. The deaths of Lohra and Ganjhu mark a significant blow to the JJMP's activities in the region, further weakening the influence of the renegade Maoist faction in Jharkhand.
