Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh): In a landmark announcement for internal security, Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Harish Kumar Gupta declared on Monday, March 30, 2026, that Left Wing Extremism (LWE) has officially come to an end in the state. The declaration followed the high-profile surrender of nine active Maoists, including C. Narayana Rao, a veteran leader with a 36-year history in the movement. Rao, who served as the Secretary of the Andhra Odisha Border (AOB) Special Zone Committee and a Central Committee Member, was wanted for several high-profile crimes, including the 2018 assassination of MLA Kidari Sarveswara Rao and the 1997 killing of Head Constable Narendra Das.
The DGP noted that this achievement aligns with the Central Government’s strategic goal to eliminate LWE across India by March 31, 2026. Over the past two years, coordinated efforts by the Greyhounds, the Special Intelligence Branch (SIB), and district police units have reduced the underground Maoist presence in Andhra Pradesh to zero active cadres. Operational data revealed a total of 205 major actions during this final push, including 18 exchanges of fire, 81 arrests, and 106 surrenders. Security forces also recovered a significant cache of war-like stores, including BGL shells, detonators, and communication manpacks.
According to police officials, the collapse of the movement in the state is attributed to a combination of sustained tactical pressure, a declining ideological support base, and the state’s attractive rehabilitation policies. DGP Gupta emphasized that the surrendered cadres, many of whom joined between 2017 and 2023, expressed disillusionment with the violent path of the outlawed organization. As these former rebels integrate into mainstream society, the Andhra Pradesh police have pledged to continue assisting neighbouring states like Chhattisgarh and Odisha to ensure the regional eradication of the insurgency.
