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Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said a significant milestone has been achieved towards making India Naxal-free after six Naxalites were neutralised in a major operation in Kandhamal district of Odisha.
In a post on X highlighting the development, Shah said the operation marks a major breakthrough in the fight against Left-Wing Extremism and brings Odisha closer to being completely free of Naxalism. "A significant milestone towards Naxal-free Bharat. In a major operation in Kandhamal, Odisha, six Naxalites, including Central Committee Member Ganesh Uike, have been neutralised so far," Shah said. He added that with this success, Odisha stands at the threshold of eliminating Naxalism entirely. Reiterating the Centre's resolve, the Union Home Minister said the government is determined to eradicate Naxalism from the country. "We are resolved to eliminate Naxalism before March 31, 2026," Shah said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday termed the killing of six Naxalites, including Central Committee Member Ganesh Uike, another major breakthrough in making Odisha completely free from Naxalism. Uike, who carried a bounty of Rs 1.1 crore on his head and was the chief of the banned outfit in Odisha, was neutralised in Kandhamal district in the security forces' operation that started on Wednesday night and concluded on Thursday morning. He was a key leader in the banned CPI (Maoist) and carried a long history of orchestrating attacks against security personnel and civilians. Odisha, along with parts of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Telangana, has historically been affected by Left-Wing Extremism.However, in recent years, the state has witnessed a steady decline in Naxal-related violence due to sustained operations by central and state security forces, improved intelligence coordination, and focused development initiatives in remote and tribal areas. The Union government has been pursuing a multi-pronged strategy to counter naxalism, combining strong security measures with development initiatives, including improved road connectivity, mobile networks, banking access, and welfare delivery in affected regions. The establishment of forward operating bases and enhanced inter-state coordination have further strengthened counter-insurgency efforts. Officials said the latest operation in Kandhamal underscores the effectiveness of this approach. With the neutralisation of senior leadership and shrinking operational space for naxal groups, authorities believe Odisha is now close to being declared free from Left-Wing Extremism, marking a crucial step towards the Centre's larger goal of eradicating Naxalism nationwide within the stipulated timeline. (ANI)
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