Raipur: Anti-Maoist operations in Chhattisgarh have increased since November 2023, and it were the highest in November and December last year, according to state police data.

The police data accessed by HT shows that there were only four anti-Maoist operations in July and August, which dropped to two in September and October. However, the number increased to 12 in November, and nine operations were conducted in December 2023.

In 2021, four operations each were conducted in November and December. Between July and December 2022, 29 anti-Maoist operations were conducted, and in 2021 the number was 26.

According to the officials aware of the matter, the highest number of Maoists arrested in a month in 2023 was in December when 59 ultras were arrested by the security forces and prior to this, it was in July when 15 rebels were arrested. In all, 173 Maoists were arrested between July and December 2023, while 12 were killed in gunfights with the security forces.

Also Read: Chhattisgarh : Six-month old girl killed in Bastar crossfire

In 2022, 16 Maoists were gunned down, and in 2021, 23 Maoists were killed in the same period by the security forces, the data shows. The number of Maoists who surrendered between July and December in the last two years declined from 324 in 2021 to 128 Maoists in 2022.

However, the increase in operations also means more civilian killings in November and December. Maoists allegedly killed 12 civilians in November last year, two were killed in September whereas no civilians were killed in October. A total of 17 civilians were allegedly killed by Maoists between July and December in the past year, according to the data. In the same period in 2022, 15 civilians were killed.

A senior paramilitary officer aware of the operations said the operations have been intensified in Maoist-affected areas, especially the Bastar region, following the instruction given by Union home minister Amit Shah to wipe them out in the next two years.

Shah, while addressing a gathering in Chhattisgarh in October last year stated that Left-wing extremism in India is in its last phase and will be completely eradicated within the next two years.

“More troops of security forces will be deployed in Bastar in the coming months and emphasised anti-Maoist operations will increase post-Lok Sabha Elections in 2024,” the officer said.

A second security officer posted in Chhattisgarh said that in the first week of December, two meetings were done by Chhattisgarh’s top police officers – one in Jagdalpur and another in Narayanpur – and instructions were issued to launch quality operations in the core area of Maoist-affected districts.

“We are getting more sophisticated equipment to launch big operations in Bastar region in coming months,” the second official quoted above said.

An officer posted with the para-military force in Bastar said there is a clear direction from the home ministry to intensify anti-Maoist operations. “Earlier, we were doing much. Now, we are planning for big operations against Maoists,” he said.

Another officer posted in the Bastar region said now with the change of government in Chhattisgarh, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) trounced the Congress in the December 3 election results, there will be synergy between the Central and state government security forces.

Also Read: ‘Modi won’t go to Manipur’: Sena MP’s dig at PM over Kalaram Temple visit

“Earlier, there were some conflicts between central and state governments. Now with the same party at the Centre and the state, this will not be an issue,” the officer said.

Inspector general of police (IGP), Bastar range, Sunderaj P, said the fight against Maoists in Bastar is in its decisive phase.

“The solution for the 56-year-old left extremism challenge has entered into its final and decisive phase. In the last couple of decades, Bastar police, local administration and the security forces deployed in Bastar have slowly but steadily made significant inroads into the erstwhile Maoist stronghold areas,” he said.

No more large-scale recruitments are taking place in the Maoist camps anymore and instead many cadres are either surrendering or getting arrested, the IG said, “In these prevailing circumstances, we are hopeful of bringing an end to the Naxal menace sooner than expected,” he added.

Ajay Chandrakar, chief spokesperson of the BJP, said, “We are ideologically against the Maoists and we were always aggressive in anti-naxal operations. We will increase the operations and will fight the final battle against the Maoists.”

“The BJP was in power for 15 years before but they were never able to make any policy for eradication of Maoists from Bastar. It was the Congress which reduced Maoists presence to two districts only”, Congress spokesperson RP Singh said.