New Delhi: The number of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) related violent incidents has come down by 77% in 2022 in comparison to the high of 2010 and the number of resultant deaths (Security Forces + Civilians) has also reduced by 90 % from an all-time high of 1,005 in 2010 to 98 in 2022, the government said in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
This information was shared by Nityanad Rai, Union Minister for State for Home Affairs via a written reply to a question from BJP MP, Pashupati Nath Singh asking about the current number of Naxal-affected districts in the country, particularly in Jharkhand
The geographical spread of violence has significantly reduced and only 176 Police Stations of 45 districts reported LWE violence in 2022 as compared to a high of 465 Police Stations in 96 districts in 2010, Rai said.
The minister also said the decline in the geographical spread of violence is also reflected in the reduced number of districts covered under the security-related expenditure (SRE) scheme and further added that the "Number of SRE districts reduced from 126 to 90 in April 2018 and further to 70 in July 2021."
He further highlighted that there has also been considerable improvement in the security situation in Jharkhand. "The number of violent incidents in Jharkhand reduced by 82% from a high of 742 incidents in 2009 to 132 incidents in 2022. The numbers of SRE districts in Jharkhand have also reduced from 19 in 2018 to 16 in 2021", he said.
"Places like Burha Pahar, the area of Tri Junction of West Singhbhum, Saraikela-Kharsawan, and Khunti and Parasnath Hills have been freed from Maoist presence through the establishment of camps and sustained operations by security forces", Rai said.