The clock is ticking towards March 2026, and India’s counter-Naxal campaign is hitting peak intensity. Security forces have locked onto approximately 300 insurgents, spearheaded by four notorious central committee figures of the CPI (Maoist).
Leading the hit list are Misir Besra (Bhaskar), Devji (Kumbha Dada/Chetan), Ramanna (Ganapati/Laxman Rao), and Malla Raja Reddy (Sagar). Intelligence breakthroughs have funneled operations to the Chhattisgarh-Telangana frontier, where Devji and Kesa Sodhi were recently spotted.
Tuesday’s launch of a massive search-and-neutralize mission highlights the urgency. While Reddy lurks in Odisha, the trio remains entrenched in the borderlands, directing attacks and recruitment. Authorities emphasize that non-surrender means certain confrontation in the escalating offensives.
Remarkable strides have been made: the Home Ministry reported in October 2025 that most-affected districts are down to three in Chhattisgarh—Bijapur, Sukma, Narayanpur. Overall LWE-impacted areas fell from 18 to 11, a testament to relentless pressure.
Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the resolve is ironclad to eliminate Naxalism by the deadline. This involves not just kinetic actions but also rehabilitation for surrenderees and infrastructure boosts in red corridors. The strategy blends force with development, steadily reclaiming territory.
As drones, intel networks, and elite commandos converge, the Maoist hierarchy crumbles. The impending neutralization of these top commanders could trigger a domino effect, accelerating surrenders and dismantling the insurgency’s core.