Chhattisgarh has witnessed significant strides in combating Naxal violence, with at least 80 insurgents killed, over 125 arrested, and 150 surrendering in the past four months alone, officials revealed.
The decline in Left Wing Extremism-related incidents across the nation has been substantial, marked by a 52 per cent reduction in violence and a 69 per cent decrease in fatalities from 2014-23 compared to 2004-14, according to data from the Union Home Ministry.
Under the governance of Vishnu Deo Sai in Chhattisgarh since December 2023, proactive operations have been instrumental in eliminating 80 Naxals, apprehending over 125, and persuading 150 to surrender since January, officials confirmed.
Late last year, Union Home Minister Amit Shah's directive to security forces to proactively combat Maoists resulted in the establishment of a high-powered committee comprising top officials from various security agencies.
This proactive approach has yielded tangible results on the ground, as evidenced by recent developments.
The latest major encounter occurred on Tuesday in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district, where security personnel neutralised 29 Naxalites, including several senior members, in the largest operation of its kind in the state's history.
Three security personnel sustained injuries in the fierce exchange, which also led to the confiscation of a significant cache of weapons.
Since 2014, security forces have been establishing camps in Maoist-dominated regions, with over 250 such installations set up post-2019, effectively eradicating security vacuums.
The concerted efforts have borne fruit, as indicated by the decline in LWE incidents from 14,862 to 7,128 between 2004-14 and 2014-23.
Moreover, fatalities among security personnel have decreased by 72 per cent, and civilian casualties have dropped by 68 per cent during the same periods.
The geographical spread of violence has also diminished, with the number of affected districts decreasing from 96 in 2010 to 45 in 2022, accompanied by a reduction in police stations reporting violence from 465 to 176.
Over the past five years, strategic infrastructural developments have been underway in Naxal-affected areas, including the establishment of over 5,000 post offices, 1,298 Eklavya residential schools, 43 ITIs, and 38 skill development centres.
Additionally, substantial investments have been made in telecommunications and transportation infrastructure, with thousands of mobile towers erected and kilometres of roads constructed.
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