‘We will see an end to Naxalism in a few months’: Sundarraj P, IGP for Bastar Range
The Government of India and the Chhattisgarh government have a clear intention of bringing this seven-decade-long Naxal violence to an end much sooner, said Sundarraj P, IGP for Bastar Range.
Sundarraj Pattilingam, Inspector General of Police for Bastar Range
Union Home Minister Amit Shah says Naxalism will be wiped out in a year. But the Maoists are still holding out in Chhattisgarh.
The Government of India and the Chhattisgarh government have a clear intention of bringing this seven-decade-long Naxal violence to an end much sooner. The local population of Bastar is frustrated by the mindless violence of Naxals, who are responsible for the death of more than 2,000 civilians in the region.
But there is a lot of resistance from villagers against police camps. Security forces on the ground say there is still a lot of sympathy for Maoists in villages.
All these years, the Maoists have used the security and administrative vacuum to their advantage and misguided the local population. A comprehensive strategy was conceived to reach out to the people and make them aware of the designs of Maoists. As a result of these initiatives, the bond between the population and government agencies is strong. In fact, our operational bases act as an integrated development centres, bringing basic amenities to villagers.
In January 2024, a six-month-old girl was killed in the crossfire and in December, four children were injured. How are you working on minimising civilian casualties? Also, Maoists have killed 11 security personnel this year. Is that a concern?
Protecting the lives and properties of the local population is one of our primary priorities. Unfortunately, there were a few civilian casualties… The government has ensured all possible assistance to the victims of those incidents of Naxal violence. There were many instances of our security personnel saving the lives of civilians injured in IED blasts or Naxal crossfire.
Compared to previous years, the operational casualties suffered by security forces have come down drastically. The morale of the security forces is high and strong.
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Is an endgame in sight? If so, what kind of an end will this be?
All these years, the senior Naxal leadership used the local cadres as human shields and would flee from the spot by taking advantage of the dense forest cover. But now, due to better cordon-and-search operational tactics by the security forces, the senior Naxal cadre are not able to flee from their hideouts. Moreover, the local cadres are no longer in a mood to risk their lives to protect their seniors, who are mostly from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, etc. All these factors are working in our favour. In the recent months, we have been able to ensure decisive operational outcomes. We are confident of seeing an end to Naxalism in a few months.
Jayprakash S Naidu is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently serving as the state correspondent for Chhattisgarh. With an extensive career in frontline journalism, he reports on the political, security, and humanitarian landscape of Central India.
Expertise and Experience
Specialized Conflict Reporting: Jayprakash is a leading voice on the Maoist/Naxalite conflict in the Bastar region. His reporting provides a critical, ground-level view of:
Internal Security: Tracking high-stakes encounters, surrender programs for senior Maoist leaders, and the establishment of security camps in formerly inaccessible "heartland" villages.
Tribal Rights & Displacement: Investigative reporting on the identity and land struggles of thousands of displaced tribals fleeing conflict zones for neighboring states.
Governance & Bureaucratic Analysis: He consistently monitors the evolution of Chhattisgarh as it marks 25 years of statehood, covering:
Electoral Politics: Analyzing the shift in power between the BJP and Congress and the impact of regional tribal movements.
Public Policy: Reporting on landmark infrastructure projects (e.g., mobile connectivity in remote zones) and judicial interventions, such as High Court rulings on civil and family law.
Diverse Investigative Background: Prior to his current focus on Chhattisgarh, Jayprakash held reported from Maharashtra, where he specialized in:
Crisis & Disaster Management: Notable for his extensive coverage of the Cyclone Tauktae barge tragedy (P-305) and the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on frontline personnel.
Legal & Human Rights: Investigative pieces for platforms like Article-14, focusing on police accountability and custodial deaths across India.
Environmental & Social Justice: Authoritative reporting on the Hasdeo Aranya forest protests and the approval of major tiger reserves, highlighting the tension between industrial mining and environmental preservation. ... Read More
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