Latest news with #LWE
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Forces raze memorials in Maoist citadels
On February 9, security forces gunned down 31 Maoists in the jungles of Indravati National Park in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, inflicting the highest single-day toll on the insurgency at the time. After an eight-hour gunbattle involving at least a thousandparamilitary and police personnel, the forces recovered the bodies of 31 uniformed Maoists, along with a large cache of weapons, including AK47s, SLRs, INSAS rifles, .303 rifles, BGL launchers, and explosives. But that's not all the forces found. 'After the encounter, the forces also came across a tall stone memorial built in the memory of the Maoists' senior comrade, Katakam Sudarshan, aka Anand,' said a Central Reserve Police Force officer in Bijapur, who asked not to be named. Katakam Sudarshan, a politburo member of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) died of natural causes on May 31, 2023. 'We had information about the memorial but we had never entered the area until a few months ago as it was a Naxal stronghold. The area was not under our control so we had left it untouched all these years,' added the officer. 'The stone structure has now been destroyed.' That's not the only one. Over the last year, as security forces pushed deeper into the Maoist heartland and made inroads into territories considered too hostile even five years ago, they started smashing scores of what they claim are makeshift memorials to various Maoist leaders. This symbolic purge – to remove traces of Maoist influence across the once-infamous red corridor – has now become a part of the government's aggressive move to wipe out the decades-old insurgency by next spring. 'Such structures help Naxals keep the locals under their control by wielding a fake narrative that the area is under their control ,' the officer quoted above said. Security officials said that after entering Maoist strongholds in left-wing extremism (LWE) affected districts of Sukma, Bijapur, Narayanpur, and Dantewada, the forces repeatedly found red sandstone structures, some with several storeys in the shape of a tower as high as 60 feet. At least 147 such structures have either been bombed or brought down, said the officials. 'The memorials, all built using cement and painted red, range from 6- 60 feet in height. There is a common pattern too. A tall red memorial with the name of their slain leader or the date of the incident, when they have died. These were leaders who have masterminded and killed thousands of security forces personnel,' said a Central Reserve Police Force officer in Bijapur, who asked not to be named. Since the memorials were built in Naxal strongholds, the rebels had access to cement from nearby villages and were even able to use heavy machinery to construct the structures, the officer added. The memorials, resembling red pagodas, have the names of slain Maoist leaders, the date they died on, and messages in Hindi or Telegu paying tribute to the 'fallen comrade' inscribed on them. Some also have the flag of CPI (Maoist). But there are never any photographs. 'There will always be an erected podium in front of the memorial. The podium is where the Naxal cadres take oath every morning. Surrendered Naxals confirmed that recruitments and later training were held in front of such memorials inside the jungle. Over the last year, as the number of such memorials in Naxal areas became common and more frequent, an order was issued to destroy every symbol,' said the CRPF officer quoted above. The forces started discovering more of these memorials as they made inroads in Naxal strongholds. In December 2024, they came across a 60- feet tall concrete structure (shaped like a tower) built in the memory of Akkiraju Haragopal, a Maoist central committee member. Haragopal, aka Ramakrishna, died of natural causes in the forests sometime in October 2021, said a police officer. It had the date October 14, 2021 — the day the Maoist leader likely died — inscribed along with a message in Telugu paying homage to him and the Maoist movement. The structure was destroyed after the forces entered the Komatpalli village in Bijapur and set up the Vatevagu camp. 'It must have been the tallest such memorial. It took nearly 3-4 hours to get rid of the structure. When the forces took control of that area in Bijapur and found the structure, we all knew it was the first thing that needed to go. In all these years, these Naxals were emboldened to build such memorials and remind the innocent villagers of their influence. We ordered a JCB earthmover and toppled the structure,' said a police officer involved in the operation. Security personnel said they are mindful of not damaging structures that are aligned with tribal culture and customs. The police say these memorials served as nodes of the Maoist operation inside the forest – around where training would happen, events glorifying the killing of security forces and civilians would be held. 'Building memorials is part of the Naxal propaganda…Naxals did this to keep people under their influence. Outside these memorials Naxals held their Shaheed Diwas, glorified violence, and symbolised their leaders as heroes,' said inspector general (IG) of Bastar range, Sundarraj P. The forces believe smashing these memorials is key to dispelling the notion that the rebels still hold control of large swathes of forestland from where they've been recently wiped out – especially in weaning local villagers away from what the government believes is now a demoralised insurgency. 'There are less than 350 armed cadres who are refusing to surrender and putting up a fight with security forces. Hundreds of them have already surrendered,' said another police officer. Sundarraj said in some cases, the requests for destroying the memorials came from local villagers themselves after forces set up camps in the areas. 'People also do not want to remember that legacy…At many places people themselves have requested us to get it removed because the future of their children, who could have gone to school, were destroyed by Naxals,' he said. 'Such memorials won't be allowed.'
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
NIA investigates Maoist hijacking of explosives in Odisha's Sundargarh
BHUBANESWAR: The National Investigation Agency ( NIA ) on Thursday launched an investigation into Tuesday's hijacking of explosive materials by Maoist insurgents from a stone quarry in Odisha's Sundargarh district, bordering Jharkhand, Odisha Police sources said. The brazen loot of 4 tonnes of gelatin sticks in Rourkela's K Balang police jurisdictions raised serious security concerns. "This is a matter of grave concern as these explosives could be potentially used for anti-national activities. NIA has stepped in and started their probe. We are working closely with the NIA and Jharkhand police to track and recover the stolen materials,' a senior police officer told TOI. Security experts warn that the quantity of stolen explosives poses a significant threat. "Four tonnes of gelatin sticks in the wrong hands could cause devastating damage,' S K Sahoo, a retired cop said. According to sources, the NIA has formed special teams to track the movement of Maoist groups in the region and recover the stolen explosives. A high-level meeting was conducted between NIA officials and senior police officers from Odisha and Jharkhand to coordinate the investigation and develop strategic responses. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo DGP Y B Khurania, who chaired the meeting, has been camping in Sundargarh since Wednesday. Around 10 am on Tuesday, about 25-30 armed Naxals stormed the quarry under K Balang police limits in Rourkela, near Saranda forests neighbouring Maoist-infested Jharkhand, holding two labourers and a manager at gunpoint after the explosives-laden lorry arrived. The armed group compelled the driver to operate the vehicle under duress. They released him at Relhatu area under K Balang police station around 5 pm. 'We have intensified patrolling in the area and set up checkpoints at key locations,' DIG (western range) Brijesh Rai said. The brazen incident marked a significant Maoist operation after an extended period of reduced LWE activity in Odisha, triggering apprehension of a disruption of the Centre's objective to establish a 'Maoist free' India by March 2026. The daylight theft of 4-tonnes of gelatin sticks has raised concerns as Sundargarh had been declared Naxal-free in April 2024. DIG Rai mentioned that Sundargarh, free from Maoist activities and violence for over ten years, was removed from the left-wing extremism (LWE) affected areas list and the Centre's security-related expenditure (SRE) scheme last year.
The Print
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
The likes of Basavaraju can be eliminated—but not an ideology. It's the next front
With a clear deadline set—31 March 2026—for the complete eradication of Left-Wing Extremism, the tide appears to have definitively turned. Once called India's 'biggest internal security challenge' by then PM Manmohan Singh in 2010, Naxalism is now visibly in retreat. In the aftermath of Operation Black Forest, 54 Naxals were arrested and another 84 surrendered, signalling that Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) is finally on its way out. The government's stance is now sharply defined: those who choose the path of violence will be met with force; those willing to lay down arms and join the mainstream will be given a chance. On 21 May, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on X that a 'major breakthrough' had been made in the decades-long fight against Naxalism. For the first time in over 30 years, a general secretary-ranked Naxal leader—Nambala Keshav Rao, alias Basavaraju—was neutralised. Some 15 years ago, Naxals sloganeered about establishing a Red Corridor—stretching from Pashupati in Nepal, to Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. In 2013, around 126 districts across different states were reporting LWE-related violence; by March 2025, this figure had fallen to just 18 districts, with only six classified as 'most affected'. Driven by strong political will, the government has shown it will not relent in the face of propaganda from human rights activists sympathetic to hardcore Maoists who believe in seizing power through the barrel of a gun and reject the democratic path. The government's multi-pronged strategy, sustained over more than a decade, has proven highly effective. Success on the ground has been achieved by relentlessly pursuing the SAMADHAN strategy—a comprehensive approach adopted by the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2017, combining security measures with developmental initiatives, and tracking progress through key performance indicators. Also Read: Basavaraju—tech grad to Maoist commander-in-chief who scripted deadliest massacres including Dantewada How Naxals once held ground During my deputation with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in 2010, I had the opportunity to witness firsthand the complexities of India's prolonged conflict with Left-Wing Extremists under Operation Green Hunt. The audacity of the problem can be gauged from one devastating ambush of a CRPF patrol party by Naxals in Dantewada district, in which 76 security personnel were killed in a single incident. The incident showed the extent of their strategic planning, coordination, and range of armaments. These types of attacks pushed the central forces into a defensive mindset. In Bijapur and Dantewada, the situation on the ground was so grim that road-opening parties (ROP) were deployed to minimise the risk of ambush or gunfire. The terrain was littered with mines, and the constant threat of IEDs and sudden-burst fire were regular occurrences during troop movements. As a result, the forces became highly defensive and remained confined to their camps instead of carrying out anti-Naxal operations. This not only lowered the morale of the troops but also shook the tribal population's trust in them. This also led to a complete drying up of intelligence regarding Naxal movements. Tribals were forced to choose between the Naxals and the security forces, as the state failed to offer them protection or viable alternatives. The Naxals were able to convince the tribals that they were fighting for their cause of jal, jungle, and zameen. The overall outcome was that in areas like Dantewada and Bijapur, the writ of the Naxals ran large. They even prevented government teams from carrying out developmental work, such as building roads, expanding telecommunication networks and electricity lines in the interior regions, in order to maintain their control over these so-called 'liberated zones.' Breaking the Naxal stronghold The overall success in dismantling Naxalism can be attributed to both developmental and security strategies. Targeted government initiatives on the developmental front have been instrumental in restoring the faith of the people in the state. Road connectivity and telecommunication networks have improved tremendously in the last decade, civic action programmes carried out by CAPFs have helped in winning the hearts and minds of the locals, and the Roshni scheme has enabled tribal youth to develop skills and gain employment. Apart from the developmental initiatives mentioned above, the government has acted in a highly planned, coordinated, and resolute manner on the security front as well. What has really made a big difference is: Strong political willpower shown by the central and state governments. For the first time, a Union Home Minister has set an example by leading from the front. Good coordination through a unified command structure between central and state forces. The District Reserve Group (DRG), which has proved to be a game changer. It mostly consists of surrendered Naxalites who have extensive knowledge of the area and terrain and have ties with the locals as well. This has led to improved intelligence gathering and the development of better strategies against the Naxals. Setting up of security camps in the interior areas and fortification of police stations. Technological intervention, especially surveillance through drones and satellite imagery, which has effectively mitigated the ambushes. With the operational tide turning in favour of security forces, the next phase of counterinsurgency must focus on sustainable peace through inclusion. Winning battles on the ground is only half the victory. Rehabilitating and reintegrating Naxals into mainstream society is crucial for lasting peace. They should be encouraged to surrender and adopt democratic means to voice their grievances. The ballot, not the bullet, must drive change. Ongoing battle for hearts and minds Though much has been achieved, and the Home Minister's deadline of ending Naxalism by 31 March 2026 is within sight, we cannot afford to be complacent. We have to continue the pressure on the hardcore arms-wielding Naxalites relentlessly. We also have to keep dismantling their financial network, as Naxals get funding from extortion and protection rackets. The problem of Naxalism is not merely a security one but is also related to development and governance. Even as security forces dismantle the operational infrastructure of the insurgents, the risk of regrouping will remain unless structural issues are addressed. The regions most affected by Left-Wing Extremism have historically suffered from a grave development deficit. To ensure that the Leftist ideology does not find fertile ground again, the next phase must focus more on people-oriented governance, land rights, health care, education, and economic upliftment. A dual-track approach is essential: sustained security operations must be matched by a robust development strategy that addresses the root causes of extremism. The last and most important element is an effective ideological counter-narrative. The fight is not just against armed insurgents but against an ideology. The likes of Basavaraju can be eliminated, but not an ideology. To ensure that there is no possibility of regrouping, we must remain on our toes—vigilant, adaptive, and proactive. We need to counter Naxalite propaganda effectively on a regular basis. The battle for hearts and minds has to be finally won not just by the gun, but by plugging the gaps in development and governance, by continually working in a sustained manner for the most marginalised sections. Ashok Kumar is a retired IPS officer who served as Uttarakhand DGP. He is currently Vice-Chancellor of the Sports University of Haryana in Rai, Sonipat. His X handle is @AshokKumar_IPS. Views are personal.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Bastar inches closer to gaining ‘Maoist-free' tag
In a notification dated March 2025, the Union home ministry has reclassified Bastar district in the Bastar division of Chattissgarh as a 'district of legacy and trust' from its previous classification as a district affected by Left Wing Extremism (LWE). The notification, which HT has seen, came into effect on April 1. The Bastar division comprises seven district including Bastar, Kanker, Konadagaon, Narayanpur, Sukma, Bijapur and Dantewada. Hindustan Times reported in December that the home ministry could consider removing Baster and Konadagaon from the list of districts affected by LWE. Konadagaon has also been re-categorised as a district of legacy and trust. 'This re-categorization, part of a broader LWE review by the Centre, places Bastar district among 28 districts across India where Maoist activity has significantly declined but where continued vigilance and sustained developmental and operational focus are still required. However, this marks a critical step toward declaring Bastar entirely free of Maoist influence,' a senior officer of Chhattisgarh police said. Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range), Sundarraj P, emphasized the strategic progress made in the region. 'The recent re-categorization underlines a significant shift in the LWE landscape of the Bastar Range, particularly with Bastar and Kondagaon now identified as 'districts of legacy'. This means that Maoist activities have come down to a great extent. Our focus will now be on consolidating peace through consistent anti-Naxal operations, development projects, and community engagement.' Sundarraj also explained the home ministry's new framework which 'classifies 18 LWE-affected districts nationwide into three equal categories: Most Affected, Other Affected, and Districts of Concern, with six districts in each.' Within the Bastar Range, Sukma, Bijapur, Narayanpur, and Kanker continue to be listed among the Most Affected LWE districts, while Dantewada is placed in the Other Affected category. The recent encounter in which 29 Maoists were killed happened at Kanker. 'Bastar and Kondagaon's shift to the legacy category reflects not just a decrease in violence but also an increasing presence of civil governance and infrastructure development,' Sundarraj added.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Maoists from J'khand involved in explosive-laden truck theft: Police
1 2 Bhubaneswar/Rourkela: Odisha police confirmed on Wednesday that Maoists from neighbouring Jharkhand were responsible for hijacking an explosive-laden truck from a stone quarry in K Balang area of Sundargarh district on Tuesday. The incident marked a significant Maoist operation after an extended period of reduced LWE activity in Odisha, triggering apprehension of a disruption of the Centre's objective to establish a 'Maoist free' India by March 2026. The daylight theft of four tonnes of gelatin sticks, which cops fear could be used against security personnel, has raised concerns as Sundargarh had been declared Naxal-free in April 2024. DGP Y B Khurania, IG (operations) Deepak Kumar and special intelligence wing (SIW) DIG Kanwar Vishal Singh visited Rourkela to review the investigation. Odisha police have launched an extensive anti-Maoist search operation with the help of the neighbouring Jharkhand police and CRPF. "The Naxals entered from neighbouring Jharkhand, given the Banko quarry's proximity to Maoist-active areas of West Singhbhum district in Jharkhand. Joint anti-Maoist search operations are underway," DIG (western range) Brijesh Rai told TOI. Rai mentioned that Sundargarh, free from Maoist activities and violence for over 10 years, was removed from the left-wing extremism (LWE) affected areas list and the Centre's security-related expenditure (SRE) scheme last year. According to police reports, roughly 25 to 30 armed Naxals entered the quarry on Tuesday around 10 am, holding two labourers and a manager at gun-point after the explosives-laden lorry arrived. The armed group compelled the driver to operate the vehicle under duress. They released him at Relhatu area under K Balang police limits around 5 pm. "They were speaking in Hindi and claimed to be Maoists. I pleaded for mercy. They spared me," said the truck driver, Debnath Toppo. Police have sealed an explosive storage facility at Itma under Bargaon police limits in Sundargarh, which supplied the gelatin sticks to the Banko quarry. Security analysts criticised the SIW's performance. "Despite Sundargarh's removal from the LWE affected areas list and the SRE scheme, the special intelligence wing should have continued monitoring Maoist movements. They should not have lowered their guard. Naxals must have conducted recce before striking," said S N Sahoo, a retired police officer. Records indicate a similar incident took place in 2012 when Maoists hijacked an explosive-laden van in Sundargarh district.
