Latest news with #Naxals
DW
11 hours ago
- Politics
- DW
India's Maoist crackdown leaves villagers grieving – DW – 07/23/2025
India has vowed to crush the long-running Maoist-inspired Naxal insurgency by March 2026. In the jungles of Chhattisgarh, villagers are mourning those killed in the crossfire. On a rainy afternoon in Bodga, a remote village deep in the forests of Chhattisgarh, a state in central India, Sukli Oyam sits quietly on the mud porch of her thatched home. She holds a photograph of her 22-year-old son, Ramesh, who was killed last year in a crossfire between government forces and left-wing Maoist rebels, known as Naxals or Naxalites. The Naxals — named after the village in the foothills of the Himalayas where their armed campaign began nearly six decades ago — were inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong. They follow a form of communism propagated by Mao, and have waged a guerrilla-style insurgency against the government, particularly in central and eastern India. Every time Oyam looks at her son's picture, her eyes fill with tears. The day he was killed is seared into her memory. Oyam recalled how her family had gathered to celebrate the christening of Ramesh's younger daughter. Ramesh, a millet farmer and the family's sole breadwinner, set out to his relatives' home to fetch a chicken for the evening feast. On the way, he stopped by the river to bathe. He never returned. On the riverbank, a bullet hit him, turning a day of joy into one of mourning, she said. "After my son's killing, we fear leaving our homes and my life has changed," 60-year-old Oyam told DW. "Now whenever the police enter our area, villagers like me hide inside their houses. During encounters, our life comes to a halt." "I demanded compensation from the government for my son's death, but there has been no response," Oyam lamented. Oyam's neighbour, Raje Ayam, recalled a similar encounter. She told DW that security forces stormed into her house last March after mistaking it for a Maoist hideout. She said she was shot in the back while feeding her child, the bullet narrowly missing her spinal cord. Raje described how other villagers rushed her to the hospital after they found her lying in a pool of blood. She survived her injuries — but a year later, she said that she still struggles. "After the injuries, my body isn't working. I'm not able to farm or go to the jungle for work," she told DW. "My body has been almost paralyzed by the injury and I'm barely able to walk. Whenever I go to the forest and see soldiers, I fear they might kill me." The Maoist insurgency has simmered deep inside India's forests for decades. It began in 1967 in Naxalbari, a small village in the Indian state of West Bengal on the east coast, as a Maoist-inspired rebellion advocating for land rights and social justice for marginalized tribal communities. Today, the Naxals claim to fight for the rights of India's indigenous communities, collectively known as Adivasis. Their goal is to overthrow the Indian state through armed struggle. Bastar, the region in Chhattisgarh where Bodga is located, has become heavily militarized. Since 2019, around 250 security camps have been set up in the area — part of a surge that has placed one armed personnel for every nine civilians, according to a 2024 report by Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact Foundation, a civil society organization. Security forces have intensified their operations in the forests of Bastar since last year. In early 2024, the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Operation Black Forest (also called Operation Kagar) to wipe out the Maoist movement. Given the tough terrain of these vast jungles, large numbers of security personnel were deployed, along with advanced surveillance technologies and drones. The past two years have been the bloodiest period for Maoist insurgents in over a decade, with more than 400 Naxals killed in the Bastar region alone, according to the state's Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. Earlier this month, DW reporters followed the Special Task Force, known as the District Reserve Guards (DRG), on a patrol in the Bastar region. The operation was led by DRG sub-inspector Sanjay Paul. Their mission: to track down Maoists operating in the area. For Sanjay, carrying out operations in these jungles is complex and risky. He tells us the dense forests are the perfect hiding place for Naxal fighters to carry out ambushes. "The Naxal ideology poses a huge threat to us and to our country, we will not sleep till we finish it," Sanjay told DW. His words echo the stance of New Delhi. In February 2025, Indian Interior Minister Amit Shah lauded the security forces for successful operations and set a deadline for eliminating the Naxal movement. "I reassure the nation that by March 31, 2026, India will surely be Naxal-free," he said. As the heavy-handed approach tightens its grip on Bastar's forest villages, locals are left mourning their dead. Many told DW that the line between Naxal fighters and villagers has blurred. They accuse security forces of carrying out indiscriminate killings. Iytu Oyam, a bereaved father, from Komhu village in Narayanpur district, travelled to Bodga to meet us. He claimed that his son, Moto Oyam, was killed in a "fake encounter" by security forces last May while he was working on his farm. "I want to tell the world that my son was innocent. He was not a Naxal. What was his crime that he was killed?" he told DW. Activists and human rights lawyers have alleged that counter-insurgency operations have turned Bastar into a war zone where Adivasi communities, which make up most of the local population, live in constant fear from both sides. They claim there is a pattern of extrajudicial killings, often called "encounter killings," where police allegedly stage civilian deaths to look like combat fatalities. Reports by groups such as Human Rights Watch have also documented arbitrary detentions, forced displacement, and sexual violence by security forces. "They have turned Bastar region into a graveyard, where almost every family has a story of human loss," according to lawyer Bela Bhatia, who is supporting Adivasi people in their claims against the state. When we confronted DRG officer Sanjay Paul with these allegations, the police officer denied any deliberate targeting of civilians. "Sometimes it happens by mistake. During crossfires, civilians can die. But we do not kill civilians intentionally," he told DW. Decades of Maoist insurgency, Naxal violence, and state crackdowns have left nearly 12,000 people dead — including civilians, militants and security personnel, according to the latest figures from watchdog South Asia Terrorism Portal. For Sukli Oyam, sitting with her son's photograph, justice feels like a distant dream. "My son is gone," she said quietly. "The police didn't protect us. The Naxals who claim to fight for our rights didn't help us. We are just stuck in between."
Indian Express
a day ago
- Business
- Indian Express
From ‘punishment posting' to next steel powerhouse: CM Devendra Fadnavis inaugurates several projects in Gadchiroli
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Tuesday that Gadchiroli, once regarded as the state's most backward region – often known to be the place for 'punishment postings' – is now set to become the country's next steel powerhouse, driven by developments from Lloyds Metals and Energy and a model of growth rooted in local employment, conservation, and inclusivity. Fadnavis was speaking at Konsari village in Gadchiroli's Chamorshi taluka on Tuesday where he inaugurated several projects of Lloyds Metals and Energy Ltd (LMEL). He also laid the foundation stone for the company's mega integrated steel plant. Addressing a public gathering, Fadnavis lauded LMEL's managing director B Prabhakaran for 'walking with society', and making all employees stakeholders in the company's success. 'This is not just industrial development, this is transformation. Every employee is also a shareholder,' he said. Fadnavis praised the police and the people of Gadchiroli for standing by the Constitution and the democratic system and not with Maoists, who have been thriving in the area for decades. 'Today, even former Naxals are working at Lloyds plant. The Naxal network has been broken, only a few remain, and they too must surrender,' he appealed. The chief minister, however, cautioned against what he termed 'urban Maoism', referring to alleged misinformation campaigns on social media that claimed tribal land was forcibly acquired and forests destroyed in Gadchiroli. 'These are not voices from Gadchiroli, they are just a few people based in cities like Bengaluru and Kolkata, who are being funded from abroad, trying to keep Adivasis poor, backward, and enslaved,' he said. Reaffirming his government's commitment, Fadnavis said, 'We will not rest until Gadchiroli becomes the number one district in Maharashtra. The next five years will see income levels rise and lives change in ways people once thought was impossible.' Drawing inspiration from Dr B R Ambedkar's vision, Fadnavis said the transformation underway in Gadchiroli reflects the vision of India's Constitution. 'This is the real struggle, not just against poverty or underdevelopment, but against a mindset that wants to keep tribal India in the past.' Mining operations began in Gadchiroli around 2016-17, following official approvals. Since then, Lloyds has played a key role in establishing an end-to-end steel ecosystem in the district, he added. 'We didn't want Gadchiroli to remain just a resource supplier for industries outside, where it would face enormous pollution at the cost of development. Our vision was and is to benefit local youth and help them get jobs here,' Fadnavis said. He said over 14,000 local youths are now employed with the company. The BJP leader also shared stories of local women who started in housekeeping roles and now drive heavy Volvo trucks, earning over Rs 55,000 per month. He also noted that some women will be operating pellet trucks, breaking barriers in a traditionally male-dominated industry. Fadnavis also announced the bhoomi pujan for an upcoming integrated steel plant, which will generate another 20,000 jobs. The project, he informed, will be completed in 30 months. He also highlighted collaborations between Gondwana University and an Australian university to train youth in advanced mining technologies. 'Students will study partly in Australia and partly in Gadchiroli. Soon the students of Gadchiroli studying at the institute will be known as the best mining engineers of India,' he added. 'May it be a pellet plant, or a slurry pipeline, another conversation I had with B Prabhakaran was that we need to develop the region, but 'jal, jamin, and jungle' (water, land, and forest), which is the identity of Gadchiroli, needs to be preserved. There should not be destruction of this wealth. We need to try and ensure that there is no pollution which harms the beauty of this region,' said Fadnavis. Responding to concerns about environmental impact, Fadnavis underlined that the Gadchiroli model is based on 'green growth.' He stressed that an 80-kilometre slurry pipeline has been installed by Lloyds to prevent pollution. He was concerned that the slurry could be a cause of concern for environmental pollution, but the pipeline made it look easy. He said the region will soon transition to electric vehicles for most industrial movements. Fadnavis also announced a mega plantation drive, with 1 crore trees to be planted over the next two years, starting with 40 lakh saplings on Tuesday. He also hinted that a nursery similar to those in Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh, will also be established to ensure a high survival rate of planted saplings. The chief minister said the state government's Rs 5 lakh health insurance scheme will be functional in Gadchiroli as the company is keen to build a new hospital in the region. A school will also be constructed. 'Gadchiroli has the potential to produce better steel than China, and that too, green steel,' Fadnavis claimed, reaffirming the push for reducing dependence on gas and coal. Gadchiroli Joint Guardian Minister Ashish Jaiswal, MLAs Dharmaraobaba Atram and Milind Narote and others were present at the event
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
300 phone towers set up in Bastar villages
The Centre and the state have set up at least 300 cell phone towers in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region across villages that have been freed from Maoist control in the last one year, officials aware of the matter said on Sunday. 300 phone towers set up in Bastar villages Cell phone towers are a major point of contention between the security forces and the Maoist groups. For the government, setting up towers is a strategic priority. For the Maoists,destroying them is equally important. People aware of the matter added that at least 32 such cell phone towers were installed specifically within Abhujmad — a dense forest of around 5,000 sq km spread across Maoist-affected districts of Bastar region. This is where the last fight with armed Maoist cadres is underway — six Maoists were killed in a gunfight on Friday. Security forces have in the last one year entered parts of Abhujmad, which had never been mapped before and was controlled by Maoists all these years. A senior security officer posted in Chhattisgarh said,'These 300 cell phone towers installed in Bastar zone in the last one year or so were in areas which were planned on paper but government authorities could not enter due to security concerns. The government has said that after taking control of villages from Naxals and setting up camps, cell phone towers along with hospitals are the first priority.' Installing cell phone towers in areas freed from Maoist control is a priority for the state government and the home ministry to connect villagers with the government, who were cut off and lived under Maoist influence for the last 4-5 decades. The armed Maoist cadres, who are putting up a fight, make it their priority to destroy and burn such towers. Just five days ago, Maoists burnt one such tower in a village in Narayanpur district and killed two civilians in the same area. In the last one year, there have been at least four notable cases of Maoist setting fire to such towers. A second officer said that the forces are setting up towers near the security camps to avoid it being destroyed by the left-wing extremists. 'Towers have been set up next to camps such as Kasturmeta, Kacchapal. Naxals also want to destroy towers because they think civilians inform security forces of their movement.' The officer said installing cell phone towers is also necessary because villagers are returning to their homes that have been freed from Maoist control. Some time in mid-November last year, the security forces set up a cell phone tower at the Garpa village in Narayanpur district, also within Abhujmad. The tower was set up within three weeks of the forces establishing a camp in the village on November 6 , 2024. 'After villages are being taken over by forces, many people who had left fearing the Naxals are returning. In Garpa alone, some 300 people have returned to their houses. These are villagers who had left their homes 10-15 years ago when LWE was at its peak. They will benefit from the cell phone connectivity. Not only will they be able to communicate with their families but also be connected with the government through the phones,' the second official said. The state government has planned to have at least 79 additional towers in the LWE areas of Chhattisgarh. Overall the home ministry had identified 10,511 places in LWE areas across different states, of which nearly 8,000 towers have been installed.
News18
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
‘Celebrate Ganeshotsav Like Never Before': Shelar Blames Urban Naxals For Attack On Hindu Fests
Ashish Shelar in Pen: 'There has been a systematic attempt to undermine our festivals like Ganeshotsav, Dahi Handi and Nagpanchami under the guise of environmental concerns." Maharashtra's Cultural Affairs Minister Adv Ashish Shelar on Sunday made an emotional appeal to the people of the state to celebrate this year's Ganeshotsav with unmatched fervour and pride, declaring it a State Festival while warning of a 'well-crafted plot" by so-called urban Naxals to target Hindu traditions. Speaking in the heart of Pen — a small town that has, for generations, given life to millions of Ganesha idols adorning homes and pandals across the country — Shelar's message struck a deeply personal chord with the community of sculptors whose livelihoods are entwined with this beloved festival. Addressing a packed gathering of artisans, local leaders, and residents at Tambadshet, of Raigad district, which is also known as hub of artisans, Shelar did not mince words. 'There has been a systematic attempt to undermine our festivals like Ganeshotsav, Dahi Handi and Nagpanchami under the guise of environmental concerns. But behind this is a deliberate conspiracy by urban Naxal elements with backing from Congress, the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena," Shelar said, receiving thunderous applause from idol makers who see their craft as a sacred tradition. Shelar recalled how the ban on Plaster of Paris (POP) idols, which once threatened to choke the local economy of places like Pen, was part of this larger narrative. 'Had we not stood firm, thousands of idol makers would have been left without work. Our Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ji and I fought this battle shoulder to shoulder — in the courts, on the streets and with the people — and we won," he said, promising continued protection of age-old practices. For many sculptors in attendance, Shelar's announcement that Ganeshotsav will now be officially celebrated as Maharashtra's State Festival felt like justice served. 'This festival feeds our families, binds our communities and keeps our traditions alive. Today we feel seen," said Abhay Mhatre, President of the Maharashtra Ganesh Sculptors' Association. As Shelar ended his address with chants of 'Ganapati Bappa Morya!", the message was loud and clear — this Ganeshotsav, Maharashtra will not just worship an idol but also stand guard against forces that, he said, seek to dilute its cultural soul. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Days after after passage of Public Security Bill, Maharashtra CM Fadnavis to inaugurate iron ore projects in Gadchiroli
Over a week after the state government passed the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill to tackle left-wing extremism, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is slated to inaugurate a slew of projects in Naxal-affected Gadchiroli district on Tuesday. The chief minister will inaugurate the first phase of the 5-Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA) iron ore grinding plant and a 10 MTPA slurry pipeline project – the first operational iron ore slurry pipeline in the state – at Hedri in Gadchiroli. CM Fadnavis will also lay the foundation stone for several projects, including a 4.5 MTPA Integrated Steel Plant at Konsari, a 100-bed multispeciality hospital, a school, and a 116-acre Lloyds Township in the Naxal-affected region. Government sources said the 85-km-long slurry pipeline will establish a seamless and environment-friendly logistics link between Hedri and a pellet plant at Konsari, ensuring reliable ore transportation while lowering the carbon footprint by 55 per cent. In a remarkable development, the grinding plant, constructed by the Lloyds Metals & Energy Limited (LMEL), has employed 65 former Naxals – 27 in the administration department, 29 in civil/construction, and nine in the mechanical department. The facility was readied in a year. B Prabhakaran, Managing Director, LMEL, said, '22nd July, 2025, is going to be recorded in the history of Gadchiroli as well as Maharashtra in golden letters… After successful green operations of iron ore mines at Surjagarh, commissioning of the DRI (Direct Reduced Iron) plant and pellet plant at Konsari, now a giant leap of faith is being taken in the form of an integrated steel plant.'
