BHUBANESWAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday chaired the sessions at the 59th DGP and IGP conference which deliberated on key issues of country’s internal and external security matters on its second day here.
Union Home minister Amit Shah took part in extensive discussions during the meet. Deliberations on crucial issues like narcotics are expected to take place on the last day of the meet on Sunday.
On the day, the conference took stock of the Left Wing extremism (LWE). Despite the continued success in the recent months, the Centre asked states not to relax until achieving the target of ending Naxal menace by March 2026, sources said.
Chhattisgarh’s anti-Naxal operations were lauded as it has emerged as the best performing state in tackling Maoists in 2024. So far this year, at least 210 Naxals including many senior members of the banned CPI(Maoist) have been neutralised in the neighbouring Chhattisgarh.
However, to ensure that India is free from LWE by 2026, it is very important to eradicate the menace from Chhattisgarh as more than 2,000 ultras as still active in about 15 districts of the state. The districts include Bijapur, Bastar, Dantewada, Dhamtari, Gariaband, Kanker, Kondagaon, Mahasamund, Narayanpur and Rajnandgaon, sources said.
With relentless operations and setting up of company operating bases (COB) of the security forces in very close proximity, Naxals are on the edge and the central government is wary that they may attempt to flee to neighbouring states like Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. It has directed the states to take effective counter measures.
Amid the combat against the LWE in its last stage, it will be very crucial for all the Naxal affected states to keep their security systems watertight, regularly share intelligence, intensify operations and restrict the cross-border movement. Currently, the states of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala are considered LWE affected, although in varying degrees, sources added.