In another success in the ongoing anti-Naxal operations, the security forces eliminated around seven Maoists, including three women, in the early morning on Wednesday (19th November)in the forest region of Maredumilli in Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district.
As per reports, one of the Maoists killed has been identified as Meturi Jokha Rao alias Shankar, a native of Srikakulam. Shankar served as an Area Committee Member (ACM) for the Andhra–Odisha Border (AOB) region and specialised in technical operations, arms manufacturing, and communication, according to preliminary inputs. The identity of the rest of the deceases Maoists is being verified. Shankar was the technical specialist of the Maoist organisation, who was an expert in assembling improvised explosive devices. According to the police, Shankar developed several of the mines deployed by the Maoists over the years.
Speaking to the media, Andhra Pradesh (Intelligence) Additional Director General Mahesh Chandra Ladda confirmed the information and said that seven Maoists were killed in the encounter between security forces and Maoists in the forest area. He urged the remaining Naxals to surrender.
“This is one of the biggest, specific intelligence-based, very smooth executions from field officers in the history of AP Police. We will continue to strive for Andhra Pradesh to become a Maoist-free state. We had our intelligence, and we were keeping a track. We were waiting for the right opportunity. We wanted to know their plan, so we were just keeping silent and observing. We assure all people of Andhra Pradesh that AP Police and all our intelligence networks are alert. We are here to safeguard the state in the best possible way,” ADG Ladda said. He added that the Maoist cadres have been trying to gain entry into Andhra Pradesh from Chhattisgarh and Telangana. As a result, the security forces have intensified surveillance to monitor the movements of the Maoists.
The development comes after security forces killed one of India’s most dreaded Maoist commanders, Madvi Hidma, long considered the shadowy architect of some of the deadliest attacks on security forces, in an encounter in the Maredumilli forest area of the Alluri Sitarama Raju district on Tuesday morning (18th November). Five other Maoists were killed by the security forces in the encounter that ensued during an anti-Naxal operation, which began on 17th November.
The ADG said that 50 people have been arrested in NTR, Krishna, Eluru, Kakinada and Konaseema districts in recent operations. Among the arrestees are three Special Zonal Committee members, 23 platoon members, five divisional committee members and 19 area committee members. The authorities have seized large quantities of weapons and explosives from the Maoists. ADJ Ladda added that some Maoists managed to escape after Tuesday’s encounter in the Maredumilli forest area and that special teams have been deployed to nab them.
The Modi Goverment’s mission to achieve a Naxal-free India
The security forces have intensified anti-Naxal operations since last year as part of Modi government’s resolution to achieve a Naxalism-free India. Home Minister Amit Shah has resolved that India will be free from Naxalism by March 31, 2026. Over the past 10 years, the Modi government has dealt with the menace of Naxalism with an iron hand by adopting a multi-pronged strategy which includes aggressive military operations to eliminate Naxal terrorism as well as development efforts to integrate the Left-wing extremism (LWE) affected areas and people into the mainstream as per the National Policy and Action Plan launched in 2015. In January 2024, the Modi government launched Operation Kagar to eradicate Naxalism in Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra (Gadchiroli), Odisha, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana.
Under the operation, around 1 lakh para-military troops, including the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), its elite CoBRA units, District Reserve Guards DRG), and state police, equipped with modern technology, were deployed in the left-wing terrorism affected areas to completely uproot the naxal terrorism from its last remaining strongholds. Several top Naxal leaders have been tracked and eliminated by the security forces under the operation, dealing a lethal blow to the Maoist movement in the country. Thousands of the Naxals have laid down arms and joined mainstream with the help of the state governments and security forces.