Violence cannot bring change: HM Shah lauds security forces for eliminating 16 Maoists in Bastar

Raipur, March 29 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah has praised the security forces for their successful anti-Maoist operation in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma and Dantewada districts, where 16 Maoists were eliminated.

In a post on X on Saturday, Shah said, “Another strike on Naxalism! Our security agencies have neutralized 16 Naxalites and recovered a massive cache of automatic weapons in an operation in Sukma. Under the leadership of PM Shri @narendramodi Ji, we are resolved to eradicate Naxalism before March 31, 2026. My appeal to those with arms is that weapons and violence cannot bring change; only peace and development can.”

The operation took place on Saturday morning in the Upampalli area under the Keralapal police station jurisdiction. Personnel from the District Reserve Guards (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) successfully engaged the Maoists, recovering a large cache of arms and ammunition, including automatic weapons such as INSAS and SLR rifles.

Sources indicated that several high-profile Maoist leaders were among those killed. “A thorough search will be conducted once the operation concludes, which will provide clarity on the extent of damage inflicted on the Maoists,” a police official said. The number of Maoist casualties may rise as the situation becomes clearer.

This operation is part of a series of intensified actions against Maoists in the Bastar region. Earlier, on March 20, security forces conducted two major encounters in the Bastar division. The first, on the Bijapur-Dantewada border, resulted in the elimination of 26 Maoists, though a DRG jawan was martyred. The second, on the Kanker-Narayanpur border, led to the deaths of four Maoists.

On March 25, security forces neutralized three Maoists, including Sudhir alias Sudhakar, who had a bounty of Rs 25 lakh on his head. In total, 49 Maoists have been killed in March alone.

Amit Shah had previously visited Raipur and Jagdalpur in August and December 2024, warning Maoists to surrender their arms. He reiterated that the government remains committed to eliminating Naxalism, stating that any attempt at violence will be met with decisive action by security forces.