“Opinion | How PM Modi, Amit Shah Scripted End Of Red Corridor”, News 18, October 16, 2025
“On October 15, 2025, Naxalite M Venugopal Rao, also known as Bhupathi, surrendered along with 60 other Naxals in Gadchiroli district. Bhupathi carried a bounty of Rs 6 crore. A day later, 170 Naxalites laid down their arms.
Overall, in October 2025, India’s security forces continued an aggressive campaign against Naxal-Maoist insurgents, primarily in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Maharashtra. Operations like Black Forest, aka “Kagar” have intensified, focusing on intelligence-driven strikes, surrenders and rehabilitation. In 2025 alone, till date, over 290 Naxals have been neutralised, over 1,090 arrested and over 900 surrendered nationwide. The “Red Corridor” has shrunk to less than 12 affected districts, with activity concentrated in Bastar and Abujhmad regions.
For context, May 2025’s Operation Black Forest killed 31 Naxals in Karreguttalu Hills, including Nambala Keshav Rao, aka Basavaraju, with a Rs 1.5 crore bounty. Over 10,000 Naxals have surrendered since 2015, with over 881 in 2024 alone and more than 900 in 2025. The Narendra Modi government’s decision to rid India of Naxalism by March 31, 2026, as pledged by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, shows that the broader focus clearly remains on sustaining development, building trust and ensuring that the benefits of progress reach the most marginalised sections of society……”
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