Naxalism on last legs, Amit Shah tells top cops to focus on narcotics, organised crime next
Speaking at this year’s DGP/IGP conference being held in Raipur, Shah said, ‘Before the next DGP/IGP conference, the country will be completely free from the problem of Naxalism’
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said India would be “completely free from the problem of Naxalism” soon and urged the security machinery to launch “a 360-degree offensive against narcotics and organised crime”.
Shah was speaking on the first day of the DGP/IGP conference, which is being held in Chhattisgarh’s capital city of Raipur this time. The conference is attended by top police officers from across the country.
Shah said, “Before the next DGP/IGP conference, the country will be completely free from the problem of Naxalism. For the past 40 years, three hotspots that had become a persistent wound for the country — Naxalism, Northeast, and Jammu & Kashmir — have been given permanent solutions by the [Narendra] Modi government.”
He said that work is being carried out on three key points — accuracy of intelligence, clarity of objectives, and synergy in action — to deliver a strong blow to radicalisation, extremism, and narcotics.
“We must launch a 360-degree offensive against narcotics and organised crime, and create such a system that drug traffickers and criminals are not able to gain even an inch of space in this country.
The time has now come for the state police, together with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), to launch a stringent crackdown on narcotics syndicates operating at the state, national, and international levels, and to put their kingpins behind bars,” Shah said.
On November 29 and 30, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also attend the conference.
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The conference will host detailed deliberations on key security issues, such as Left-wing extremism, counter-terrorism, disaster management, women’s safety, and the use of forensic science and artificial intelligence in policing, officials said.
As per officials, the conference provides an interactive platform for senior police leaders and security administrators from across the country to engage in open and meaningful exchanges on a wide range of national security issues. It also facilitates the discussion of operational, infrastructural, and welfare-related challenges faced by the police forces, along with the formulation and sharing of professional practices in addressing crime, maintaining law and order, and responding to internal security threats.
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
