By Rootsalert News Desk| 13-February-2026
Over 2,700 cadres surrender as Deputy CM Vijay Sharma reveals roadmap to eradicate Left Wing Extremism; massive arms cache recovered in year-long crackdown.
Raipur: In a decisive statement on the state’s internal security, Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma announced on Friday that the government is fully committed to eradicating the Maoist insurgency from the region by March 31, 2026.
Speaking at a press conference in Naya Raipur, Deputy CM Sharma, who also holds the Home portfolio, outlined the aggressive strides made by security forces over the past two years. He presented a grim but transformative report card of anti-naxal operations conducted since January 2024, revealing that the insurgency’s backbone has been effectively broken.
According to official figures released during the briefing, security forces have neutralized 532 Maoists in encounters since the beginning of 2024. Simultaneously, the crackdown has led to 2,004 arrests, while a significant 2,700 cadres have laid down their arms to join the mainstream.
“The government’s intention is clear, and we are working with full force,” Sharma stated. “Our rehabilitation policies and the relentless operations by our security forces have dismantled their networks. We are on track to completely eliminate this threat by the end of March.”
The Deputy CM highlighted that the crackdown has reached the highest echelons of the Maoist hierarchy. The operations resulted in the deaths of six members of the formidable Politburo and Central Committee, while two others surrendered. Additionally, the Special Zonal Committee saw 17 of its members killed and seven surrender.
A massive cache of armaments has also been seized, with forces recovering approximately 1,100 weapons, including AK-47s, INSAS rifles, Light Machine Guns (LMGs), and mortars.
Beyond the barrel of the gun, the state is pushing a “development-first” narrative. Sharma emphasized that the government is prioritizing the integration of surrendered cadres by providing them with Aadhar cards, ration cards, and Ayushman Bharat health cards. “I am waiting for the day when the number of those surrendering exceeds those being arrested,” he remarked.
The administration’s strategy includes a parallel push for infrastructure in the conflict-ridden Bastar region, aiming to ensure last-mile delivery of electricity, clean drinking water, schools, and hospitals to every village.
This announcement follows a high-level security review chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Raipur earlier this month, signaling a synchronized push by both the Centre and the State to close the chapter on Left Wing Extremism in Chhattisgarh.
