Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) P. Sundarraj on Monday said Bastar today stands “very close to being considered Naxal-free” and the likelihood of a large-scale revival of the Maoist movement appears “extremely remote”.
The statement came on the eve of the Centre’s deadline to eliminate Maoism in the country. Mr. Sundarraj said Bastar has historically been considered the strategic nucleus of the Maoist movement.
Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma recently said “96% of Bastar is free from Maoism and only 30 to 40 active cadres remain”.
There has been an escalation in anti-Naxal operations in Bastar since January 2024, resulting in 500 Maoist cadres being killed as of March 29 this year. They included top cadres such as the secretary general of the CPI (Maoist), Basavaraju, who was killed in May last year.
“Of the 24 individuals who constituted the central committee and the politburo in 2024, only one politburo member remains active. Another senior leader, Ganapathy, has remained inactive for six to seven years. The remaining 22 leaders have been neutralised, arrested, or have surrendered,” Mr. Sundarraj said.
