70% dip in Maoist-linked killings in 10 yrs: Home Ministry

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 23

There has been a 70 per cent decline in total number of deaths of both security personnel and civilians due to Left wing extremism (LWE)-related violent incidents during the past 10 years (2014-24) of the NDA regime, compared to the decade-long tenure of the erstwhile UPA regime (2004-14).

In addition to this, in the first six months of 2024, 166 Left wing extremists have been killed in encounters with security forces and more than 600 of them have surrendered during the same period.

According to Home Ministry data, during the 10-year tenure of the Congress-led UPA dispensation, 6,568 persons (including 1,824 security personnel and 4,744 civilians) had lost their lives due to LWE-related violence.

The number of combined casualties between 2014 and 2024 of the current NDA government at the Centre fell by a sharp 70 per cent to 1,990 (including 509 security personnel and 1,481 civilians).

Even the number of incidents of LWE-related violence has fallen by 53 per cent during the NDA government’s 10-year rule compared to the decade-long tenure of the previous UPA regime, the Home Ministry data says.

There were 16,274 incidents of LWE-related violence between 2004 and 2014 when the UPA government was in power at the Centre. This figure fell by 53 per cent to 7,696 during the period between 2014 and 2024, i.e. the first two terms of the NDA government.

Also, there has been a substantial reduction of LWE-affected districts in the country from 126 across 10 states in 2013 to only 38 districts in 2024 (till April) across nine states.

The official data further states that the number of police stations reporting LWE-related violence has significantly reduced from 465 police stations of 96 districts in 2010 to 171 police stations across 42 districts in 2023. In 2024 (up to June), the LWE violence has been reported from 89 police stations across 30 districts, it states further.