Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Madhya Pradesh police had launched an effective campaign, forcing the Naxalites to surrender and bid final farewell to ‘lal salaam’ in the state, said chief minister Mohan Yadav, while addressing a programme in Balaghat on Monday.
Appreciating their role in eradicating the Maoist menace in the state, the CM awarded out-of-turn promotions to 60 police personnel involved in anti-Naxal operations.
He said, “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, an environment of Naxal eradication was created across the country and in the state the Naxalites were wiped out”.
The state was declared Naxal-free in December last year with the surrender of two Naxalites in Balaghat.
The CM laid a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti to pay tributes to soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the peace and security of the state.
He said the bravery of soldiers, the unwavering will of the police and the people’s faith had liberated the region from the shackles of Naxal terror.
He said, “The state government is paying tributes to soldiers martyred in Naxal violence through the Amar Jawan Jyoti. We can proudly say that Madhya Pradesh is now free of Naxals.”
He also inaugurated 32 police stations and other government offices in Balaghat district, built according to ISO standards.
He remembered, “It is regrettable that Likhiram Kavre, a minister in the then Congress government, was murdered by Naxalites in Balaghat”.
Major challenge
The CM said the Naxal problem was a major challenge, as Madhya Pradesh shared an 836-km border with Chhattisgarh. Even in the challenging terrain of dense forests, the Hawk Force adopted a strategy to drive out the Naxalites by conducting 4,104 anti-Naxal operations, a 23 per cent increase from the previous year, he said.
“Our forces eliminated the 10 most hardcore Naxalites in 2025. The ultras were told to surrender or be killed. The police fulfilled this warning of the state government”, he said.
