96% of Bastar region now Naxal free, CG govt plans to transform 400 security camps in hosps, schools

Raipur: With the formal surrender of Bastar's last remaining top Maoists Paparao, along with 17 cadres, the govt claims the region has become 96 percent free from Maoist influence. Now the govt plans to transform nearly 400 security camps, the pivot of anti-Naxal fight till now, into public infrastructure like schools, hospitals and collection centres for minor forest produce. Chhattisgarh deputy chief minister Vijay Sharma, who also holds home minister's portfolio, declared on Wednesday, "Today, Bastar and the entire Chhattisgarh are out of the clutches of red terror. Bastar is ready to move ahead swiftly on the path of development," Sharma said. Sharma said that now only Maoist 30 to 40 cadres remain in remote pockets of north and south Bastar, who are also expected to surrender. The announcement came when Maoist Paparao, a Dandakaranya special zonal committee (DKSZC) commander carrying a Rs 25 lakh bounty, laid down along with 17 other cadres under state's rehabilitation initiative, at a high-profile surrender programme in Jagdalpur. The surrender of senior Maoist strategist Paparao -- once among the most elusive and influential figures in Bastar's insurgency -- will serve as a decisive shift on the ground, both operationally and psychologically, as Chhattisgarh pushes towards its March 31 deadline to end Left-Wing Extremism. HM Sharma said districts such as Kabirdham, Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai, Rajnandgaon, Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki, Dhamtari, Gariyaband and Mahasamund, along with Bastar's seven districts, are now free from Maoist influence. He credited security forces, central agencies, local representatives, tribal leaders and the media for their role in restoring peace. Technical support from agencies such as ISRO, NTRO, ITBP and NSG also played a key role, he said. Sharma also cautioned that vigilance must continue, noting that some senior Maoist leaders, including Ganapathy and Misir Besra, remain untraced. Bisra's last location was between Jharkhand and Odisha. Chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai termed Paparao's surrender a significant step towards eliminating Naxalism, in line with the vision of PM Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah. Police records show 48 cases registered against him in Bijapur, with 41 permanent warrants pending, along with additional cases in Sukma (24) and Dantewada (7). He was allegedly involved in several major incidents, including the 2010 Tadmetla ambush in which 76 security personnel were killed, the 2012 abduction of the Sukma collector, and multiple attacks on security forces. Bastar range IGP P Sundarraj said 18 cadres, including seven women, carrying a collective reward of Rs 87 lakh, surrendered along with weapons and cash. Security forces recovered 18 weapons, including AK-47 rifles, SLRs, INSAS rifles, .303 rifles, a 9mm pistol and a BGL launcher, along with Rs 12 lakh in cash. Since Jan 2024, a total of 2,756 Maoists have surrendered across Bastar division's seven districts, police said. Sodhi Kesha, a Maoist from Sukma with a Rs 25 lakh reward, is now seen as the last major battalion-level face. But even he is believed to be constantly shifting base, with agencies suspecting possible movement towards Telangana.