Bastar Emerges from ‘Red Terror’; Security Camps to Turn into Schools, Hospitals

The Bastar region, along with the rest of Chhattisgarh, has largely emerged from the grip of decades of "red terror" with plans underway to convert nearly 400 security camps, once the pivot of anti-Maoist fight, into public infrastructure like schools, the government said on Wednesday.

The Home portfolio's Deputy Chief Minister, Vijay Sharma, declared that security camps would eventually be transformed into clinics, schools, and facilities for the collection and processing of small forest products.

At Shaurya Bhavan, the Police Coordination Centre in Jagdalpur, the Bastar district headquarters, he was speaking at a session on the surrender and rehabilitation of former Maoists. Along with 17 other comrades, senior Maoist commander Papa Rao, one of the insurgency's remaining top leaders, publicly surrendered on this date.

Local communities in Bastar have shown remarkable social harmony by accepting rehabilitated cadres, he noted.

According to Sharma, no active Maoists of DKSZC rank remain in Chhattisgarh, with only 30 to 40 cadres left in remote northern and southern pockets, who are also expected to surrender soon.

Nearly 96 per cent of Bastar's vast geographical area is now free from Naxal influence, he declared.

This transformation was not solely due to security operations, but was aided by trust-building, dialogue, and rehabilitation policies, the Home Minister opined.

Sharma said several districts, including Kabirdham, Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai, Rajnandgaon, Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki, Dhamtari, Gariaband, and Mahasamund, apart from the Bastar region (which has 7 districts), were once Naxal-affected and are now free from the menace.

He commended the role played by government agencies, local legislators, tribal leaders, and the media in bringing peace after decades of conflict, and he praised security forces for their bravery and perseverance in the face of adversity.

The Deputy Chief Minister stated that the successful implementation of the anti-Maoist campaign depended heavily on technical assistance from organisations like ISRO, NTRO, ITBP's technical division, and the National Security Guard's (NSG) Bomb Disposal Squad.

He stated that community involvement was further enhanced by youth engagement programs like Bastar Olympics and Bastar Pandum (festival).

According to Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P, 18 Maoist cadres, including Rao and seven women, with a combined reward of Rs 87 lakh, avoided bloodshed and assimilated into society.

He stated that 18 firearms, including AK-47 rifles, SLRs, INSAS rifles, .303 rifles, a 9 mm handgun, a BGL launcher, and Rs 12 lakh in cash, were taken from them by security officials.

The IPS officer reported that 2,756 Maoists had turned themselves in between January 1, 2024, and March 25, 2026, in the seven districts of the Bastar division: Kanker, Kondagaon, Bastar, Narayanpur, Bijapur, Dantewada, and Sukma.

Speaking to the media in Raipur, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai described Rao's surrender as a major step toward eradicating Naxalism, in keeping with the goals of Union Home Minister Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In 1997, Rao—also known by the aliases Ashok, Sunnam Chandrayya, and Mangu—joined the Maoist cause.

He served as in charge of the Pamed-Usur Area Committee and, from 2018, handled operations in West Bastar. He was subsequently elevated to be in charge of the South Sub-Zonal Bureau. He carried a bounty of Rs 25 lakh and was armed with an AK-47 rifle.

Police records show 48 cases registered against him in Bijapur district, with 41 permanent warrants pending. Additional cases were registered in Sukma (24) and Dantewada (7).

Rao was allegedly involved in several major incidents, including the 2010 ambush in Tadmetla (now in Sukma district) in which 76 troopers were killed, the abduction of Sukma Collector in 2012, an IED blast in Ambeli Nala that killed nine security personnel and a civilian in 2025 and multiple deadly attacks on security forces in 2014 in Sukma.