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New Delhi, October 20 (IANS) The deadline to end the Naxalite movement is March 31, 2026. However, given the number of surrenders in the last week, security officials estimate that the movement may end by January 2026, Republic Day.
At present the security forces have the upper hand and those Naxalites who want to continue fighting and do not want to surrender will also be eliminated by January next year. The final battle against Naxalites will be relatively easy for the security apparatus. The area of operation is significantly reduced, and hence, further operations will be more precise.
At present the only affected areas in Chhattisgarh are Bijapur, Sukma and Narayanpur. Maoists are in very small numbers in areas like Gariaband, Kanker and Dantewada, which suggests that they may surrender soon.
In the last three days, at least 300 Naxalites have surrendered with their weapons. While a large number of Naxalites have been killed, there are many who have surrendered. The first major sign that the Naxalite movement was almost over came when Venugopal alias Bhupathi surrendered. He was one of the top Naxalite leaders and during his tenure he had planned and executed several deadly attacks on security forces. His surrender also signaled a deep rift among the ranks, as many others were unhappy with his decision.
Venugopal had also written a letter in which he had made it clear that it was impossible to take the movement forward. “If we do not surrender, we will be overpowered by the security forces and the best option is to lay down arms and surrender,” he had said in the letter.
At present, only three top leaders are left. They are Misir Bhalu, Thippari Tirupati and Ganapathy. Estimating how many Naxalites may be left, officials say that the number could be between 250 to 300. However, they are struggling hard for many reasons. First, the leadership is very weak; Secondly, they are running out of weapons and ammunition, and finally, these people have been forced to fight and are not attracted by ideology.
However, the rest of the Naxalites are more focused on saving the remaining three top leaders. They are not trying to fight the security forces because they realize they could be killed. Officials also hope that many of the remaining Naxalites will surrender and give up their leadership. They have realized that fighting is futile, and Venugopal’s surrender has sent a strong message that the fight is over.
The focus is on a battalion operating on the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border. This is the biggest event ever and it is said that all the top leaders are present here. Officials say that once this battalion is defeated, many more may surrender.
Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy had said the large-scale surrender reflected growing confidence in the government’s efforts to restore normalcy. He said that Naxal affected districts have been neglected for many years. He also attributed the success against Naxalites to development and the Narendra Modi government’s determination to end the problem.
Although the Naxalite movement will end sooner than expected, intelligence agencies are keeping a close watch on the activities of some supporters in the cities. It is important to ensure that ideology also ends with the movement on the ground. An Intelligence Bureau official said that this may go on for some time, some elements are putting pressure, but it is a matter of much debate whether it will gain any momentum or not.
–IANS
Vicky/SKP