Is India’s Maoist insurgency finally over?, Pg11

Key Highlights:

• CPI (Maoist) General Secretary Nambala Keshava Rao was killed in May 2025 in Chhattisgarh.
• His successor, Thippiri Tirupati, surrendered in February 2026, leaving the organization leaderless.
• Operation Kagar in 2024 led to 3,840 surrenders, 2,220 arrests, and 600 Maoist deaths.
• Maoist presence is now confined to Bijapur and Sukma districts in Chhattisgarh, a decline from controlling 180 districts in 2013.

Detailed Insights:

• The Maoist movement originated from the 1967 Naxalbari uprising led by Charu Majumdar, advocating for peasant-led revolution.
• The movement expanded across a "Red Corridor" of 12 states by 2000, but internal conflicts and state actions led to its decline.
• Key factors in the downfall include the formation of special forces like Greyhounds, tribal vs. non-tribal leadership conflicts, and the irrelevance of "class enemy" due to welfare schemes.
• Despite the decline, a revival is possible through overground activities, and the rehabilitation process of surrendered cadres remains critical.
• Legal challenges persist for surrendered cadres facing serious charges, requiring court approval for withdrawal of prosecution.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Naxalism: A radical political ideology supporting peasant-led revolution against state authority.
• Left-Wing Extremism (LWE): Violent, revolutionary movements seeking to overthrow the government.
• Operation Kagar: Coordinated security operations across LWE-affected states to suppress Maoist insurgency.