Over last 12 years, Naxal violence down by 77%, govt tells Lok Sabha

The Naxal violence in India has decreased by 77 per cent over the past 12 years and the number of deaths in related incidents has also reduced by 90 per cent during the same period, the government said in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said the geographical spread of LWE-related violence has significantly reduced and only 176 police stations of 45 districts reported related violence in 2022.

In 2010, at least 465 police stations of 96 districts had reported LWE-related violence.

Replying to a written question, Rai said the number of LWE-related deaths (security forces and civilians) has reduced from an all-time high of 1005 in 2010 to just 98 in 2022.

The minister said the decline in geographical spread of violence is also reflected in the reduced number of districts covered under the security related expenditure (SRE) scheme.

He said 126 districts were covered under the SRE scheme in 2010 but that number came down to 90 in April 2018 and further to 70 in July 2021.

Rai said the security situation in Jharkhand has improved considerably and the existing security vacuum in the state has been almost filled.

Places like Burha Pahar, tri-junction of West Singhbhum, Saraikela-Kharsawan and Khunti, and Parasnath Hills have been freed from Maoists through establishment of camps and sustained operations by security forces, he said.

The number of violent incidents in Jharkhand reduced by 82 per cent from a high of 742 in 2009 to 132 in 2022, Rai added.