Latest news with #Maoist
The Hindu
6 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Gadchiroli district, four taluks in Gondia remain 'Naxal-infested': Maharashtra Government
'The entire Gadchiroli district and four taluks in Gondia remain 'Naxal-infested,' according to the Maharashtra Government. The Naxal tag has raised eyebrows as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had declared part of Gadchiroli "free of Maoist activities" over five months ago and asserted south Gadchiroli would soon be rid of the Maoist menace. Editorial | Decisive moment: On Chhattisgarh anti-Maoist operation A Government Resolution (GR) on Friday (June 27, 2025) stated that Gondia, Salekasa, Devri and Arjuni Morgaon taluks in Gondia district and the entire Gadchiroli district are 'Naxal-infested.' It said the declaration is based on the Central Government's list of Maoist-affected areas. Gadchiroli is often referred to as the last district of Maharashtra as it is on the State's eastern border. After felicitating C60 commandos in January, Mr. Fadnavis said Maharashtra will soon become free of Maoists given the rise in the number of Maoists laying down their arms and the movement failing to attract recruits. "Gadchiroli Police almost eradicated Naxal activities in the district. North Gadchiroli is now free of Maoist activities and south Gadchiroli will soon become free from Maoists," he had told reporters, claiming that the dominance of Maoists in remote areas of Gadchiroli district was waning. 'The government has started the process to make Gadchrioli the 'first district' by eliminating the dominance of Maoists,' he said.
The Hindu
11 hours ago
- The Hindu
DIG calls for strengthening security at police stations in ASR district
Visakha Range Deputy Inspector General Gopinath Jatti has directed the officials to strengthen the security at police stations in the view of the recent Maoist encounters in the region. Participating in a review meeting with the police officials at Paderu in Alluri Sitharama Raju district on Friday, Mr. Jatti stressed the need to gather intelligence on Maoist activities, conduct extensive vehicle checks, and ensure that the police personnel remain alert and take all necessary precautions. He asked the officials to focus on ganja cases, particularly arresting absconding accused persons and the drone surveillance in vulnerable areas. He stressed the importance of organising awareness programmes about the harmful effects of substance abuse and cybercrimes. He instructed officials to carry out financial investigations in ganja-related cases and initiate appropriate steps to seize the assets of those involved. Superintendent of Police Amit Bardar, Additional SPs K. Dheeraj, A Jagadeesh were present.
United News of India
16 hours ago
- Business
- United News of India
Chhattisgarh set for rail revamp, Rs 47,000 crore investment to transform infrastructure
Raipur, June 27 (UNI) In a transformative push for infrastructure and economic development, Chhattisgarh is witnessing an unprecedented rail expansion, with Rs 47,000 crore worth of railway projects currently underway. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and with robust support from the Centre, the state's rail network is expected to double by 2030, from 1,100 route km laid over 161 years to 2,200 route km in just 16 years. The Union Budget 2025–26 earmarked Rs 6,925 crore for railway development in Chhattisgarh. Two new Vande Bharat trains, Raipur to Visakhapatnam and Raipur to Nagpur, have already been inaugurated. Additionally, surveys for a metro system in Raipur have reached advanced stages. Among key ongoing projects are the Bilaspur-Jharsuguda fourth line (Rs 2,135 crore), Kharsia-Dharamjaigarh line (Rs3,438 crore), and the Gharghoda-Dharamjaygarh line. In tribal-dominated Bastar, the newly sanctioned 140-km Raoghat–Jagdalpur rail line (Rs3,513 crore) is set to bring remote areas into the economic mainstream. Officials believe this will also play a pivotal role in countering Maoist influence through improved mobility and access. Parallel to expansion, 32 stations are being upgraded under the Amrit Bharat Station scheme at a cost of Rs 1,680 crore. Notable revamps include Bilaspur (Rs 435 crore), Raipur (Rs 463 crore), and Durg (Rs 456 crore). Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated redeveloped stations at Ambikapur, Bhilai, Bhanupratappur, Dongargarh and Urkura. The state government has also allocated Rs 300 crore through the Chhattisgarh Railway Corporation for the Katghora–Dongargarh rail line, expected to ease freight load on the Nagpur-Jharsuguda corridor. Final location surveys are nearing completion for several strategic corridors including Ambikapur–Barwadih and Sardegha–Bhalumara. Once implemented, these lines will open new avenues for regional integration, trade and industrial growth, particularly in previously rail-deprived districts like Sukma, Dantewada, and Bijapur. UNI XC SSP
Time of India
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Maoist Influence In Maha Shrinks To 16 Talukas, Gadchiroli Remains Key Battleground
Nagpur: The Maharashtra govt has declared that Maoist influence in the state is now confined to just 16 talukas, with 12 in Gadchiroli district and four in Gondia, signalling a significant decline. A government resolution (GR) on Friday highlights the waning strength of the Maoist movement, particularly in their former stronghold of Abujmarh, straddling Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh. The GR also directed the Maharashtra director general of police (DGP) to monitor and review the Maoist tag on the twin districts of Gadchiroli and Gondia and submit a detailed report. Security forces estimate that only around 30 armed fighters of the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) and 15 logistics supporters remain active in the region, with their leadership facing an imminent collapse. The GR supersedes earlier notifications from 2004 and 2005 that identified multiple districts, including Nanded, Yavatmal, Chandrapur, Bhandara, Gondia, and Gadchiroli as Maoist-hit, said sources. Over the years, sustained operations by security forces significantly weakened the Maoist grip. A 2021 review led to the current classification, designating the entire Gadchiroli district (12 talukas) and four talukas in Gondia— Gondia, Salekasa, Arjuni Morgaon, and Deori — as Naxal-affected. Gadchiroli has been a focal point of anti-Maoist operations, with significant successes in recent years. Over the past two years, approximately 35 Maoists were neutralised, 65 surrendered, and 70 were arrested in the district. In contrast, Gondia has seen minimal Maoist activity, with only three cadres surrendering and one arrested in the same period. The stark reduction in Maoist strength is attributed to relentless security operations, loss of local support, and internal disarray within the Maoist ranks. Abujmarh, once a formidable bastion, is now described as a tottering stronghold, with security forces closing in on the remaining cadres. The state's efforts to curb Naxalism date back to govt decisions in 2004 and 2005, which initially declared multiple districts and talukas as Naxal-affected. Subsequent reviews and GRs in 2013, 2014, and 2015 refined these classifications, reflecting the evolving situation. The 2021 Cabinet meeting further emphasised aligning Maharashtra's list of Naxal-affected areas with the Central Government's designations, prompting the latest review. The DGP's report, which informed the recent GR, underscores the sharp decline in Maoist activities and the need for continued vigilance.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Two women Maoists killed in Bastar encounter; ops continue in monsoon
Raipur: Two women Maoists were shot dead during an encounter with security forces in Narayanpur district of Bastar division in Chhattisgarh on Thursday. This is the first encounter that recorded a casualty this monsoon. Normally the forces used to halt its operations during every monsoon because of the inhospitable terrain. But this year, on the directives of the Union Home minister the operations will continue irrespective of the season. The identity of the Maoists would be known once the forces are back to base. Police officials said that the search is underway, and exchange of fire has stopped. According to Bastar range inspector general of police P Sundarraj the gun battle erupted late on Wednesday evening in the dense forests of the Abhujhmarh region, in the region of Kohkameta. The operation involved a joint team from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Special Task Force (STF) who headed out on intelligence inputs regarding the presence of senior Maoist cadres from the Marh division. Personnel from the DRG units of both Narayanpur and Kondagaon districts took part in the offensive. During the search operation following the exchange of fire, security forces recovered the bodies of two women, along with an INSAS rifle, a country-made .315 bore rifle and 15 rounds from the encounter site. The dead bodies of Maoist cadres killed in the encounter were preliminarily identified as Seema, area committee member (ACM), Kutul area committee, and Linge alias Ranjhu, party member (PM), Kutul local organisation squad (LOS). The weapons and materials recovered from the site of the encounter Superintendent of police, Narayanpur, Prabhat Kumar informed that under the ongoing "Marh Bachao Abhiyan" (Save Marh Campaign), a joint search operation was launched on Wednesday in the forested and hilly areas of Abujhmarh based on reliable information about Maoist presence. The exchange of fire between security forces and Maoists continued uninterruptedly since the evening of 25 June 2025. Detailed information is being collected regarding the cadre profiles of deceased Maoists and the criminal cases registered against them. In the last 18 months, a total of 414 Maoist cadres have been killed in various encounters in the Bastar Range, including top Maoist leaders such as CPI (Maoist) General Secretary Basavaraju alias Ganganna and CCM Gautam alias Sudhakar.
