New Delhi: The CPI (Maoist), a major Left-Wing Extremist (LWE) organisation responsible for most incidents of violence, has been making efforts to expand to new areas along inter-state borders, albeit "without any significant success," reveals the annual report of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). However, the annual report for 2023-2024 mentions that the geographical spread of LWE has also been shrinking considerably. LWE violence As per the report, LWE violence was reported from 171 police stations (PSs) in 42 districts in 2023 as compared to 328 PSs in 76 districts in 2013. "The arc of violence has been considerably restricted with just 25 districts accounting for 91 per cent of the LWE violence." The CPI (Maoist) continues to be the most potent among the various LWE outfits in the country and accounted for more than 90 per cent of total violent incidents and 95 per cent of resultant deaths, it says. "Amidst increasing reverses, the CPI (Maoist) has been making efforts to expand to new areas along inter-state borders, albeit without any significant success," added the report. The CPI (Maoist), or Naxals, is the major left-wing extremist organisation responsible for most incidents of violence and casualties, and it has been included in the Schedule of Terrorist Organisations, along with all its formations and front organisations under the existing Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967. Core Maoist areas In 2023, the report also mentioned that there has been a slight increase in the number of resultant deaths and casualties to security forces when compared with the corresponding period in 2022, primarily due to extensive operations in core Maoist areas. In 2023, the report further pointed out that Chhattisgarh remained the worst affected state and constituted 63 per cent of the total LWE-related violence incidents and 66 per cent of the resultant deaths. Jharkhand 2nd most affected state Jharkhand was the second most affected state, with 27 per cent of the LWE-related violence incidents and 23 per cent of the resultant deaths. The remaining incidents of violence and resultant deaths are reported from Maharashtra, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Kerala. However, during 2013, various measures adopted by governments and the developmental outreach by the central government have seen an increasingly large number of LWE cadres shunning the path of violence and returning to the mainstream, it says. During the first half of 2024, the report further states, the LWE situation has witnessed a quantum positive jump (1.7 times) in security forces-initiated operations (59 to 103), which have consequently resulted in a more than fivefold increase in the neutralisation of Maoists (30 to 159) as compared to the corresponding period of 2023. "The overall improvement in the LWE scenario can be attributed to greater presence and increased capacity of the security forces across the LWE-affected states, better operational strategy, and better monitoring of development schemes in affected areas," added the report. Eradicate Naxalism The report comes days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the central government has successfully reduced left-wing extremism across India and aims to completely eradicate Naxalism by March 31, 2026.
