Red Terror Nears Its End As Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra Maoist-Free

In a landmark development, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, two key states in the Red Corridor, have officially declared themselves Maoist-free, signalling a decisive collapse of the Maoist stronghold that once dominated central India. This declaration, made months before the deadline, marks the most significant breakthrough yet in the country's decades-long fight against Maoists.

With these two states shedding the tag of Maoist violence, the countdown to the complete elimination of Red Terror has moved beyond dates and declarations. The echo of Maoist guns that had thundered through the jungles of Balaghat, Gadchiroli and adjoining regions for decades is now fading fast. Before the scheduled timeline, and well ahead of the March 31, 2026, deadline, India has taken what security officials describe as the biggest step towards ending Maoism for good.

This turning point was articulated from the NDTV platform on November 1 in Patna, when NDTV Editor-in-Chief and CEO Rahul Kanwal questioned Union Home Minister Amit Shah during the Powerplay interaction on the government's commitment to eradicate Maoism by March 31, 2026, and on how dreaded Maoists like Madvi Hidma had managed to survive for years. Shah responded by underlining the dramatic contraction of the Red Corridor, noting that Maoism, once spread across nearly 130 districts, is now confined to just 11 districts, with serious activity limited to three.

He stressed that a large number of Maoists have been neutralised, arrested or have surrendered, and that the backbone of the violent movement has already been broken. Whatever remains, Shah asserted, will be eliminated before 2026. That assurance soon translated into decisive action on the ground, most notably with the killing of Maoist commander Madvi Hidma 12 days before the November 30 deadline, an operation widely seen as a historic turning point in the battle against Maoism.

The early declaration of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra as Maoist-free, the surrender of high-profile Maoists, and the shrinking of the MMC zone (the tri-junction of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh) together indicate that the Red Corridor is rapidly collapsing. What was once India's biggest internal security challenge is now on the brink of becoming history, as intensified operations leave the remaining Maoist cadres with only two choices: surrender or face decisive action by security forces.

Back in 2024, when Amit Shah publicly declared that Red Terror would be eliminated by March 31, 2026, many dismissed it as a bold political statement. However, sustained operations on the ground ensured that the deadline did not remain symbolic. Nearly four months ahead of schedule, two states in the Red Corridor declared themselves Maoist-free. Areas where setting up a police camp once meant inviting death are now witnessing the movement of development vehicles without fear.

NDTV was the first to report that, following the surrender of senior Maoists such as Ramdher and Anant, only six Maoists were left in the MMC zone. Among them, the most prominent was Chhota Deepak. The very next day, Deepak Uike and Rohit surrendered in Balaghat, further shrinking the Maoist footprint.

In just the last 42 days, a total of 42 Naxalites carrying cumulative bounties worth Rs 7.75 crore surrendered in the MMC zone. These were cadres who once ran parallel administrations deep inside forested areas, challenging the authority of the state.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the guidance of Home Minister Amit Shah, the state has achieved the goal of becoming Maoist-free ahead of time. He credited the determination to eliminate Maoism and paid tribute to the courage and sacrifice of police personnel, noting that the Balaghat Police gave its final salute on December 11 after completing the mission.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis echoed similar sentiments, highlighting coordinated efforts between states to dismantle remaining Maoist networks.

While Chhattisgarh continues to face residual challenges, the situation there has changed dramatically. There was a time when more than 12,000 armed Maoists operated across Bastar. Today, only a handful of squads remain, and they are under relentless pressure from security forces.

Intelligence inputs indicate that only a few senior Maoist leaders remain on the target list. These include Battalion No. 1 in-charge Barse Deva alias Sainath, a 45-year-old Sukma resident with a Rs 25 lakh bounty, believed to command 100-150 armed cadres. The once-powerful Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, which earlier had around 30 dreaded commanders, has been reduced to a few ageing figures such as Paparao alias Chandranna alias Mangu Dada and Vasudev Rao of Telangana.

The Maoist Central Committee, once comprising 21 members, now has only four leaders who pose any challenge, including Misir Besra alias Sagar, Mallaraji Reddy alias Sangram, Thipri Tirupati alias Kuma Dada alias Devji, and Hanumanthu alias Ganesh Uikey. Many are elderly, many are ill, and several are believed to be living in anonymity in the forests of Odisha and Jharkhand.

The message from the security establishment is unambiguous. Bastar IG Sundarraj P said the complete elimination of Maoism would be ensured very soon. The remaining cadres, he said, have only one option: to surrender their weapons and join the mainstream. Otherwise, they will face the consequences of intensified and effective security operations.

For Chhattisgarh, the end of the Red Terror is particularly crucial. In the 25 years since the state's formation, it has paid a heavy price for Maoist violence. Official data till October 2025 shows that in 25 years, there have been 3,404 encounters, in which 1,541 Maoists were killed, 1,315 security personnel were killed in action, and 1,817 innocent civilians lost their lives. During this period, 7,826 Maoists surrendered, and 13,416 were arrested.

The Red Corridor, once considered India's biggest internal security challenge, is now on the verge of becoming history. The guns have largely fallen silent, commanders have been eliminated or have surrendered, and the forests are beginning to narrate a new story, one not of fear and violence, but of peace and development.