NIA arrests four CPI (Maoist) members in Chhattisgarh crackdown

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): In a significant operation against terrorism, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested four individuals associated with the banned CPI (Maoist) group in Chhattisgarh. The arrested persons, Anish Khan alias Annu Khan, Anil Kumar Netam, Jaysing, and Raghuveer, are believed to be Over Ground Workers (OGWs) who provided logistical support, shelter and materials such as explosives and detonators to the Maoist cadres. These arrests were part of an ongoing investigation into the recovery of weapons from CPI (Maoist) members in the Kuyemelari area of Kanker district. The investigation also revealed that CPI (Maoist) leaders DVC Sonu and DVC Prasad were actively involved in planning a violent attack and an election boycott campaign in the region. Two armed Maoist cadres were apprehended by the NIA just before they could launch an attack on a police party. This intervention prevented a potential escalation of violence and underscores the agency’s ongoing efforts to disrupt Maoist operations.

The CPI (Maoist) is a left-wing extremist group formed in 2004 through the merger of the CPI (Marxist-Leninist) People’s War and the CPI (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation. It operates primarily in India’s central and eastern regions, such as Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh. The group follows Maoist ideology, advocating for the overthrow of the Indian government and the establishment of a communist state through armed struggle. This often involves guerrilla warfare, targeting government forces, infrastructure and civilians and recruiting from marginalized rural and tribal communities. The group’s influence is strongest in the "Red Corridor," a region marked by significant Maoist activity. The CPI (Maoist) has been labeled a terrorist organization by the Indian government due to its violent activities, including attacks on security forces, bombings, and extortion. Despite government counterinsurgency efforts, the Maoists continue to be a major threat to internal security. The group has a widespread network of OGWs who assist in logistics and recruitment, making it difficult for authorities to dismantle their operations entirely. While the CPI (Maoist) is primarily focused on India, it shares ideological ties with other left-wing extremist movements globally. The NIA’s ongoing crackdown is aimed at eliminating the support structures that enable such terrorist activities, ensuring the safety of affected regions and their inhabitants.