Dozens of Maoist guerrillas were killed in central India by government forces on Sunday, marking one of the deadliest operations in recent years against leftist rebels involved in a decades-long insurgency.
The operation took place in the forested Bijapur area of Chhattisgarh state, targeting the Naxalite movement. According to local police chief Jitendra Kumar Yadav, 31 rebels and two police officers lost their lives during the clashes.
Authorities recovered a significant cache of weapons, including AK-47 assault rifles and other automatic firearms, following the confrontation.
Amit Shah, India’s home minister, emphasized the government's commitment to eradicating Naxalism, stating, “We will completely eradicate Naxalism from the country, so that no citizen of the country has to lose his life because of it.”
The Maoist insurgency originated in eastern India during the 1960s and has since expanded into central and southern regions of the country. The violence reached its peak in 2010, resulting in over 600 civilian deaths and more than 250 security personnel fatalities.
In recent years, civilian casualties have decreased significantly as government operations have limited the insurgents' operational space. Analysts suggest that the insurgency's leadership has faced challenges due to targeted operations and issues such as aging and illness.
The Home Ministry reported to Parliament last year that the threat posed by leftist extremism has diminished considerably, with deaths and affected territories both declining. In 2023, fatalities related to the insurgency were reported to be 86 percent lower than their peak in 2010, with the number of affected districts dropping from 126 to 38.
Niranjan Sahoo, a researcher focusing on left-wing extremism, noted that the Maoists are struggling to recruit new members and have concentrated their activities in specific districts, including Bijapur, after experiencing significant losses over the years.
He remarked, “The Maoists are at their weakest point, largely because they have lost a lot of their territory.”