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    OPINION                                                             OCTOBER 24, 2025  |      The Indian Eye 10

                                Left-Wing Extremism in

              Maharashtra: Counterinsurgency

             Strategies and Current Challenges

             There has been a gradual reduction in Naxal-related violence in Maharashtra on account of the

            implementation of effective counterinsurgency strategies. Challenges include integration of tribal

              rights and developmental activities, as well as relief and rehabilitation of surrendered Naxals.

            ANUSHKA CHAVAN

                     aharashtra has been affect-
                     ed by the Left-Wing Ex-
            Mtremist (LWE) movement
            for over four decades, as Maoist ac-
            tivities have prevailed in both rural
            and tribal areas, as well as some ur-
            ban areas of the state. Over the last
            few  years,  there  has  been  a  signifi-
            cant decline in violence perpetrated
            by Naxals, with only the Gadchiroli
            district  remaining  a  hotbed.  Chief
            Minister Devendra Fadnavis—who
            became the first-ever CM to assume
            responsibility as Guardian Minister
            of the district—pledged  to  eradi-
            cate Naxalism during his three visits
            to  Gadchiroli  within  the  first  seven
            months of 2025.

            Moreover, the State legisla-
            ture’s  passing  of  the  Maha-
            rashtra Special Public Security       Naxal-affected districts in Maharashtra. Source: Illustration made by the author using Geographical Information System (GIS), with data
            (MSPS) Bill 2024 has brought                               sourced from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India.

            back debates on the challeng-
                                              by  the  Maoists  kept  surging.  There  of young commandos from Nax-  greater police powers and urged the
            es of ‘Urban Naxalism’. This  were increasing cases of kidnappings  al-affected areas,[5] skilled in guer-  Union government to lead coordi-
            brief seeks to analyse the evo-   and killings of landlords, contractors,  rilla warfare, to counter the incom-  nated operations.
                                              factory workers, Security Forces (SF)  ing threat. Deployment of Central   Additionally, Maharashtra be-
            lution of LWE in Maharashtra,  personnel and political leaders.     Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in     came one of the first states to imple-
            the state’s response and the          Counterinsurgency Strategies  Naxal-affected regions was under-  ment the Surrender and Rehabilita-
                                                  As a result of the growing vio-  taken, Security-related Expenditure   tion (S&R) Policy in 2005, leading
            current challenges the state  lence across the country, the union  (SRE) was provided by the Union    to the surrender of over 500 Naxals
            government faces.                 government launched a multi-      government and police reforms were   between 2005 and 2015. Although
                                              pronged strategy for coordinated ac-  initiated under the Modernisation of   violence gradually declined, there ex-
                                              tion by LWE-affected states, focusing  Police Forces (MPF) scheme.  isted inadequacies in policing struc-
                By the early 2000s, various Nax-  on political security, development,   In 2011, multiple revisions were   tures, including ill-equipped and
            al groups had merged and expanded   perception management  and  tribal  made in staffing patterns to enhance   insufficiently-trained   commandos,
            their operations. This, coupled with   rights. These guidelines were imple-  Anti-Naxal Operations, including the   improper implementation of MPF
            the adequate capitalisation of trib-  mented in Maharashtra’s affected  upgradation of the rank of Anti-Nax-  and lack of timely intel-sharing be-
            al grievances by the Communists,   districts,  and the following  counter-  al Operations Chief from DIGP to   tween centre–state forces.
            resulted in a sharp rise in violence   measures were undertaken:    ADGP and the revival of the post      With the change in government
            across  India.  Incidents  of  open  fir-  In the initial stages, the Gad-  of ADGP (Special Operations) for   at both the central and state levels in
            ing from jungles, torching of securi-  chiroli Police formed the Crack-60  state-level coordination of different   2014, a renewed thrust was given to
            ty vehicles and detonating of IEDs   (C-60) task force in 1990, consisting  security groups. Patil also requested   Continued on next page... >>

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