India declares itself free from Naxalism, Nityanand Rai tells Parliament

India Jul 30, 2026

Big news: India has officially declared itself free from Naxalism, the left-wing extremism that once troubled more than 100 districts.

MoS for home Nityanand Rai shared in Parliament that the number of affected districts dropped from 126 in 2018 to zero in March 2026.

This milestone preceded the neutralization of Misir Besra, the last active top leader of CPI(Maoist).

Naxal violence drops, 37 districts monitored

While violence linked to Naxalism has dropped sharply, 33 incidents and 11 deaths so far this year, some trouble spots remain.

States like Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Kerala have reported zero cases in 2026. However, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand still saw a handful of incidents.

The government is keeping an eye on 37 "legacy and thrust" districts just to be safe.