'Naxalism will be completely eradicated before March 31': Amit Shah
What's the story
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday expressed confidence that the Maoist insurgency in Chhattisgarh would be completely eradicated by March 31. This remark came on social media after a high-level security review meeting on Left-Wing Extremism in Raipur, Chhattisgarh's capital. According to Hindustan Times, an official said the meeting was attended by key officials from the central and state security agencies, including Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma.
Twitter Post
Home Minister Amit Shah's post on eradicating Naxalism
आज रायपुर में छत्तीसगढ़ सरकार व अधिकारियों के साथ नक्सलविरोधी अभियानों पर समीक्षा बैठक की।
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) February 8, 2026
सिक्योरिटी सेंट्रिक स्ट्रेटजी, इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर, नक्सल फाइनेंशियल नेटवर्क पर प्रहार व आत्मसमर्पण नीति के सकारात्मक परिणाम आए हैं और इस 31 मार्च से पहले नक्सलवाद पूरी तरह समाप्त हो रहा है। pic.twitter.com/QF2a1ZnwhY
Strategy review
Deadline set by Shah nears
Shah's remarks came as the deadline he set to end the decades-old problem nears. The Home Minister noted that a security-centric strategy, infrastructure development, and disruption of Maoist financial networks, along with the surrender policy, have yielded results. "The security-centric strategy...and targeting of the Naxal financial network have yielded positive results," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Operational success
Over 500 Naxalites killed since January 2023
Since January 2024, over 500 Naxalites have been killed in encounters in Chhattisgarh. The list includes top cadres involved in operations, such as CPI (Maoist) general secretary Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavaraju. At the same time, around 1,900 Naxalites were arrested, while over 2,500 surrendered during this period, the report said, according to the police.
Surrender wave
Ahead of Shah's visit, 51 Maoists surrendered
Ahead of Shah's visit, 21 Maoists, comprising seven men and 14 women, surrendered in Sukma with a combined bounty of ₹76 lakh. Another 30 Maoists surrendered in Bijapur with rewards totaling ₹85 lakh. Security officials stated pressure across multiple theaters, claiming that the surrendered cadres were active across Bijapur, Dantewada, and Sukma districts.
Strategic visit
Shah to attend Pandum festival in Bastar
Shah's three-day visit to Chhattisgarh is seen as a major push against Maoists. He will attend the closing ceremony of the Pandum festival in Bastar, highlighting the government's dual approach of security dominance and cultural outreach. The meeting is expected to finalize strategies for neutralizing or forcing the surrender of Maoist leadership ahead of the March 31 deadline.