New Delhi [India], October 15 (ANI): In a major milestone towards achieving the Modi government's vision of a 'Naxal-free Bharat,' the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday said that the number of districts classified as 'most affected' by Left Wing Extremism (LWE) has reduced to just three from six.

According to the MHA data, only Bijapur, Sukma, and Narayanpur districts in Chhattisgarh now remain in the 'most affected' category.

The number of districts classified as LWE-affected overall has also seen a sharp decline, from 18 to 11, marking a significant contraction in the geographical spread of Naxal influence.

The Ministry further stated that the Union government has set an ambitious target to completely eradicate the Naxal menace by March 31, 2026.

Additionally, the MHA stated that 836 cadres have been arrested, while 1,639 have surrendered and joined the mainstream, including one Politburo member and one Central Committee member.

The Centre attributed this success to the effective implementation of the National Action Plan and Policy, which follows a multi-pronged approach combining security operations, development initiatives, and improved coordination between central and state agencies. The plan emphasises intelligence-based, people-friendly counter-LWE operations, swift area domination, targeting of senior leaders and overground workers, countering extremist ideology, infrastructure development, and financial choke points.

Once described as India's biggest internal security challenge by the then Prime Minister in 2010, Naxalism is now in visible retreat. The Maoists had envisioned a so-called 'Red Corridor' stretching from Pashupati in Nepal to Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. In 2013, 126 districts across various states reported Naxal-related violence; by March 2025, this number had dropped to just 18 districts, with only six earlier classified as 'most affected.'

The MHA said the sustained offensive and development push has decisively weakened Left Wing Extremism, marking a major step toward ending decades of insurgency in India's heartland. (ANI)