Last Updated on February 22, 2026 1:32 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
Inder Vashisth
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has reaffirmed that India will be entirely free from the Maoist menace by March 31, 2026, marking the complete eradication of Maoism.
Speaking at the 87th Raising Day celebrations of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Guwahati, Assam, on Saturday, Shah noted that Naxalism once gripped 12 states and countless districts across the country. He emphasized that this massive and arduous task has been nearly neutralized in just three years. “Based on the strength of our CRPF personnel, we can confidently say that by March 31, 2026, the country will be completely liberated from Naxalism,” he stated.
The Home Minister lauded the success of “Operation Black Forest,” where CRPF jawans operated for 21 days in scorching 46°C heat and difficult terrain to dismantle Naxalite shelters and strategic strongholds.
Shah acknowledged that the CRPF and the CoBRA battalion have played a pivotal role in this transition. To date, 2,270 CRPF personnel have made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty to keep the nation safe. A decade ago, Jammu & Kashmir, Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) areas, and the North-East were the three major security “cankers” of India. Shah credited the CRPF for bringing peace to these regions, stating that development would have been impossible without their bravery.
CRPF: From Two Battalions to a Global Force
Started in 1939 with just two battalions, the CRPF has grown into the world’s largest Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) with 248 battalions and a strength of 325,000 personnel.
On April 9, 1965, the CRPF displayed extraordinary courage against the Pakistani army at Sardar Post in the Rann of Kutch. This day is now celebrated annually as Valour Day (Shaurya Diwas).