Historic breakthrough in anti-Naxal ops; India sure to be Naxal-free by March 31, 2026: Amit Shah

Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government is determined to root out Naxalism from the country.

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said the security forces have achieved a historic breakthrough in the resolve to make the country Naxal-free with the killing of 31 notorious Naxalites in the Karregutta hills along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border.

Shah also said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government is determined to root out Naxalism from the country.

"I once again assure the countrymen that India is sure to be Naxal-free by March 31, 2026," Shah wrote on X in Hindi.

The home minister said "achieving a historic breakthrough in the resolve of #NaxalFreeBharat, security forces killed 31 notorious naxalites in the Karregutta hills on the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border in the biggest ever operation against Naxalism".

He added that the Tricolour is now flying proudly in the hills on which red terror once reigned.

Karregutta hills was the unified headquarters of big Naxal organisations such as People's Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA) battalion No. 1, Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC), Telangana State Committee (TSC), and Central Regional Committee (CRC), where along with Naxal training, strategies and weapons were also developed, the home minister said.

"Our security forces completed this biggest anti-Naxal operation in just 21 days and I am extremely happy that there was not a single casualty in the security forces in this operation.

"I congratulate our CRPF, STF and DRG soldiers who faced the Naxalites with their bravery and courage even in bad weather and inaccessible mountainous area. The whole country is proud of you," Shah said.

Central and state security forces eliminated at least 31 Naxals in a 21-day-long comprehensive operation carried out in the dense forests around Karregutta hills, security officials said Wednesday, asserting that it is the "beginning of the end" of Maoist menace.