NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday claimed that the Narendra Modi government is advancing with a “ruthless” approach against Naxalites, implementing a zero-tolerance policy towards those who refuse to surrender despite all the facilities being offered by the government.
Shah asserted that the country is on course to be free of Naxalism by March 31, 2026. “Today, our jawans have achieved another big success in the direction of a ‘Naxal Mukat Bharat Abhiyan’,” Shah said after security forces neutralized 22 members of the CPI (Maoists) in Chhattisgarh.
Shah also issued a stern warning against extremism in any part of the country, urging extremists to surrender or face the government’s uncompromising security action.
Meanwhile, sharing data, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) reported that 90 Naxals were killed, 104 arrested, and 164 surrendered before security forces. “In 2024, 290 Naxalites were neutralised, 1,990 were arrested, and 881 surrendered,” the MHA added. According to official data, a total of 15 top-ranked ultras and leaders were neutralised during multiple security operations against extremism.
“Between 2004 and 2014, a total of 16,463 incidents of Naxal violence were reported. However, under the Modi government from 2014 to 2024, the number of violent incidents declined by 53%, dropping to only 7,744,” said a senior MHA official.
He added that security force casualties have also reduced by 73%, from 1,851 to 509. The number of civilian casualties has also decreased by 70%, dropping from 4,766 to 1,495. In 2014, a total of 66 fortified police stations existed across Naxal-affected areas, but under the Modi government over the past 10 years, the number of fortified police stations has increased to 612.
“In 2014, 126 districts in the country were affected by Naxalism, but by 2024, the number of such districts has drastically reduced to only 12,” an official source remarked. In the last five years, a total of 302 new security camps and 68 night landing helipads have been established.