Sundarraj Pattilingam, the Bastar IG, spoke to HT two days before the government's March 31 deadline to eliminate Naxalism. He discussed the decimation of the Maoists' military wing, the remaining presence in forests, retraining of special forces for policing, the mystery of former leader Ganpat, and renewed operations.
The Central Guerrilla Headquarters of the CPI(Maoist) was in Bastar for over four decades. Today, only a handful of cadre remain, scattered and hiding without leadership or support. The Naxals' military strength was once concentrated in the Dandakaranya region, spanning the borders of multiple states and districts across Bastar. At its peak, the CPI (Maoist)’s military wing had over 4,000 cadres in these jungle areas. That number has now dwindled to double—or even single—digits.
Training and recruitment have completely ceased. The Naxals no longer possess any meaningful military capability. The March 31 target has been almost achieved. There is no longer a single village under Naxal control.
The forces in Bastar will be gradually reoriented. Policing is a continuous process; it never comes to a halt. Personnel from special units such as the DRG and the Bastar Fighters will be trained in core policing functions, including crime investigation, maintaining law and order, and ensuring the safety of women and children.
IEDs have long been a major challenge in the fight against Naxalism. Acting on intelligence provided by surrendered cadres, we have been systematically locating and removing IEDs. The IED threat will be comprehensively addressed.
The former top leaders Ganpati and Mihir Besra are yet to surrender or be arrested. Security agencies continue to track their whereabouts to ensure a logical conclusion.
All the security forces and agencies came together with a single objective to meet the goal by March 31. The establishment of security camps over the years proved to be a decisive factor. With forces deployed across the region and camps set up strategically, the Naxals found it increasingly difficult to escape.
The government is focused on rehabilitation. Surrendered cadres are being trained in vocational skills across all districts of Bastar to help them secure livelihoods. The response has been very encouraging.
