Sharp decline in left-wing extremist violence reported across India: Home ministry

NEW DELHI: Left-wing extremist (LWE) violence was reported from 89 police stations across 38 districts of nine states in the first half of this year, as compared to 171 police stations in 2023 and 465 police stations in 2010, the home ministry told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

In written reply to a question, junior home minister Nityanand Rai shared that while 647 Maoists were neutralised and 2017 security personnel martyred in LWE theatre in the past five-and-a-half years from January 1, 2019 to July 15, 2024, violent incidents were down 73% last year from the high levels of 2010. The resultant deaths of civilians and security forces also saw an 86% dip over the corresponding period.

“In the current year 2024 (up to 30.06.2024), there has been a sharp reduction of 32% in LWE perpetrated incidents and 17% in the resultant deaths of civilians and security Force personnel, in comparison to corresponding period of 2023,” Rai informed the LS.

The geographical spread of LWE violence, he added, has constricted substantially with reduction of LWE affected districts from 126 across 10 states in 2013 to only 38 districts in 2024 across 09 states.

As of now, 15 districts are affected by LWE violence in Chhattisgarh; seven in Odisha; five in Jharkhand; three in Madhya Pradesh; two each in Maharashtra, Telangana and Kerala; and one each in Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal, as per details shared by MHA.