NEW DELHI (Oct 16) – Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday declared Abujhmarh and North Bastar in Chhattisgarh free from Naxal influence, marking a major milestone in India’s decades-long fight against Left Wing Extremism.
Shah said the government welcomes those Naxalites who wish to surrender and join the mainstream, but warned that those who continue to take up arms will face the “full force of security operations.”
In a major development, 170 Naxalites surrendered in Chhattisgarh on Thursday, following the surrender of 27 militants a day earlier in the same state, and 61 in neighbouring Maharashtra.
“It is a matter of immense pleasure that Abujhmarh and North Bastar, which were once terror bases, have today been declared free from Naxal terror,” Shah posted on X (formerly Twitter). “Now, only traces of Naxalism remain in South Bastar, which will soon be eliminated by our security forces,” he added.
Officials said that intensified counter-insurgency operations and development initiatives in tribal and forested areas have led to a steep decline in Naxal activity across central India.
Shah reiterated that the government’s goal is not only to eliminate Naxalism but also to ensure sustainable development and lasting peace in the affected regions.