• Source:JND
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India could soon be officially declared Naxal-free, possibly as early as January 26, 2026, following a significant decline in left-wing extremist activity across affected regions. The central government is considering an early announcement after the surrender of several Naxal leaders and cadres in recent months.

According to officials, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah had earlier set March 31, 2026, as the deadline for a Naxal -free India. However, given the current ground situation, security agencies believe that the remaining Naxalite forces will either surrender or be neutralised within the next two months.

A senior security official said that with most of the Naxal strongholds dismantled and top leaders surrendering, there may be no need to wait until March 2026. “Operations are progressing well. With the surrender of many senior cadres and the neutralisation of others, Maoist influence has shrunk significantly,” the official added.

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Naxal Presence Limited To Few Districts

Authorities have confirmed that only a handful of districts remain affected by Naxal violence. In Chhattisgarh, the most affected districts are Bijapur, Narayanpur and Sukma. Other areas such as Dantewada, Gariaband, Kanker and Mohalla-Manpur-Ambagarhchowki are considered less impacted.

Outside Chhattisgarh, Naxal presence has been reported in just four districts, West Singhbhum in Jharkhand, Balaghat in Madhya Pradesh, Gadchiroli in Maharashtra and Kandhamal in Odisha. Security forces are now focusing their operations on these regions to dismantle the remaining network.

Officials said intelligence collection has been intensified and several operations are underway. Surrendered Naxals are being given copies of the Indian Constitution to symbolise their reintegration into mainstream society.

Leadership Crisis Weakens Naxals

The Naxal movement is also facing a major leadership vacuum. Following the surrender of Venugopal alias Bhupati in Gadchiroli, only three senior leaders remain in the organisation’s Politburo, Thippari Tirupati alias Devji, M. Laxman Rao alias Ganapati and Misir Besra.

Devji currently heads the Central Military Commission, while Misir Besra operates in Jharkhand. Ganapati, once the General Secretary, is reportedly alive but inactive due to illness. According to Jagran.com Security sources believe he narrowly escaped an encounter in which his successor, Basava Raju, was killed.

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Final Push Underway

Security agencies are now concentrating on neutralising the Naxal’s last remaining armed group, a battalion of around 300 cadres equipped with automatic weapons. The unit is believed to be providing protection to top leaders and may be hiding along the Chhattisgarh– Telangana border.

“Once this battalion is neutralised, the remaining cadres are expected to surrender voluntarily,” said a senior officer. With North Bastar and Abujhmad already declared Maoist-free, authorities are confident that India will achieve the goal of complete eradication of Naxal violence ahead of schedule.

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