Thu Dec 18 04:18:21 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:

Headline: Naxalism on the Brink: Four-Decade Insurgency Nears Endgame as Key Leaders Eliminated

Visakhapatnam, India – December 18, 2025 – After four decades of unrest, the Left Wing Extremist (LWE) insurgency, also known as Naxalism, is nearing its end, according to security analysts. A sustained government crackdown, culminating in the deaths of key leaders, has crippled the banned CPI (Maoist), the current manifestation of the movement.

The insurgency, which began in 1967 as a peasant uprising in Naxalbari, West Bengal, has seen a resurgence and spread across several states. The movement’s goal was to create a ‘Red Corridor’ across Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and parts of Maharashtra.

However, the past year has proven devastating for the Maoists. Operation Kagar, launched in April 2025 by a coalition of specialized forces, has successfully penetrated Maoist strongholds in Chhattisgarh.

The Maoists suffered significant casualties, with over 320 cadres killed in the last 11 months, including top-level leaders. The death of General Secretary Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavaraju in May was a major blow. In addition, residual movements in Andhra Pradesh were curtailed with the killing of Central Committee member Gajarla Ravi. Moreover, one of the senior-most Central Committee members, Bhupati, surrendered along with 60 others.

The final nail in the coffin came with the death of Madvi Hidma, the youngest Central Committee member and commander of the Central Military Commission (CMC), on November 18th in Alluri Sitharama Raju district.

“The deaths of Hidma and Basavaraju were the biggest setbacks for the movement and signal its endgame,” stated Mahesh Laddha, Additional Director General (Intelligence) of Andhra Pradesh. Hidma’s killing was followed by the arrest of over 50 Maoists from various cities in A.P.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has set a target of eliminating the Maoist movement by March 31, 2026, a goal that appears increasingly within reach as the insurgency continues to weaken.

Read More