Naxals took more casualties than security forces over last one year

Security personnel had been suffering more losses as compared to rebels during counter-insurgency operations

In the last one year, the casualty figures on part of the Naxalites had been more as compared to security personnel in Chhattisgarh.

The previous years’ data of Naxal violence in worst affected state underlined that security personnel have been suffering more loss as compared to the rebels during counter-insurgency operations.

But over the period, the security forces had been dominating the fight even as the operations in the red zone had intensified with Chief Minister Raman Singh declaring to make the state Naxal-free soon.

"In 2013-14, 65 security personnel were martyred and 40 Naxalites were killed while in 2015-16 (till January last), 21 security personnel lost their lives even as 58 rebels were gunned down,” state’s acting home minister Ajay Chandrakar informed in the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly today. In 2014-15, 28 security personnel were killed as compared to 30 Naxalites during operations. 

The figure of higher casualties on the Naxal side had been an indicator that forces were carrying out planned operations against the red army. Singh had said that the security forces were moving deep inside the pockets that Naxalites once claimed to be their dominated zone. The forces had succeeded in putting the rebels on back foot, he had added.

Even the number of rebels laying down the arms and joining the main stream of the society had also seen a big jump in last one year. Chandrakar informed the House that in last three years, 852 Naxalites had surrendered in Chhattisgarh (till January 2016) while the state government had disbursed about Rs 1.49 crore besides providing jobs to 24 people under the rehabilitation policy. 

Maximum surrenders were reported in last one year as in 2013, 23 Naxalites had surrendered while the figure was 385 in 2014. In last two months, over 300 Naxalites mostly the members of the Jan Militia had laid down the arms before the security personnel.