The Ministry of Home Affairs has officially informed state governments that no district in India is now classified as Naxal violence-affected. This marks the first such declaration after extensive operations against Left Wing Extremism (LWE), which originated in India more than fifty years ago.

The announcement followed a high-level security review conducted earlier this month under the National Policy and Action Plan to Address Left Wing Extremism, formulated in 2015. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had already informed Parliament on 30 March that India was free from Maoists. The review was necessary as the government’s deadline to end LWE expired on 31 March.

Officials confirmed that the Ministry issued a communication on 8 April to nine states, stating that a comprehensive review established that no district in the country now falls under the LWE-affected category. The assessment examined the strength of armed Naxal cadres, their ability to carry out violence, the existence of “liberated” zones, and the frequency of violent incidents after the deadline.

The Ministry described India’s freedom from Naxal violence as a historic achievement, crediting the coordinated efforts of central and state governments. As a result, the categorisation of LWE-affected districts has been abolished. The last review, notified on 27 March, had listed Bijapur in Chhattisgarh and West Singhbhum in Jharkhand as affected districts.

In its latest communication, the Ministry informed Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, and West Bengal that 37 districts are now categorised as “Legacy and Thrust districts” and one district as a “District of Concern.” These 38 districts require ongoing security and development measures due to their long history of LWE violence.

A “Legacy and Thrust district” is one where insurgency has been eliminated, but continued vigilance is necessary to prevent its resurgence. A “District of Concern” is one where violence has been controlled and organisational structures dismantled, yet sustained efforts are still required. West Singhbhum in Jharkhand is the only district under this category after 31 March.

The districts designated as “Legacy and Thrust” include Alluri Sitharamaraju in Andhra Pradesh; Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui, and Lakhisarai in Bihar; Bastar, Bijapur, Kanker, Narayanpur, Dhamtari, Kabirdham, Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai, Kondagaon, Rajnandgaon, Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki, Gariyaband, Sukma, and Dantewada in Chhattisgarh. In Jharkhand, Bokaro, Chhatra, and Latehar are included, while Mandala and Balaghat are listed in Madhya Pradesh. Odisha’s districts are Boudh, Sundergarh (Rourkela police district), Kalahandi, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Rayagada, and Kandhmal. Telangana’s Bhadradri-Kothagudem and Mulugu, along with Jhargram in West Bengal, also fall under this category.

The Naxalite movement began in 1967 in Naxalbari, a village in West Bengal at the tri-junction of India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. It arose from social injustice, economic inequality, and the failure of the system to address the grievances of indigenous tribals and villagers in remote forest regions. The insurgents had declared their intent to create a corridor from Pashupati in Nepal to Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, carving out a “liberated” territory along India’s eastern flank.

According to official records, LWE violence claimed more than 17,000 lives, including civilians and security personnel. The dismantling of the movement’s central structure and the elimination of violence across districts is now being hailed as a landmark achievement in India’s internal security history.

PTI