Security forces Gun Down Maoist With Rs 15 Lakh Bounty In Jharkhand

Banned Maoist splinter group’s People Liberation Front of India (PLFI)’s area commander, Martin Kerketta, carrying a bounty of Rs 15 Lakh on his head, was gunned down by the security forces in Jharkhand’s Gumla district, police said on August 08, 2025, Wednesday as reported in the PTI. According to a senior police officer, the gunfight happened between PLFI members and the security forces happened around 09:30 PM on August 05, 2025, Tuesday. This gunfight happened in the Changabadi Upartoli area under the limits of the Kamdara police station limits when the forces were carrying out a search operation, according to a senior officer. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s dream to end Naxalism by March 31, 2026

The killing of Martin Kerketta has happened amidst Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s objective to end Naxalism by March 31, 2026. On June 24, 2025, during an interaction with security personnel in Nava Raipur, Mr Shah has said that naxalism is a tragedy for the poor and tribal communities. Union Home Minister has reiterated his pledge to meet the deadline of eliminating Naxalism by next year (2026), according to a Times of India report. Mr Shah had said that when the country becomes free from Naxalism in March 2026, it will become one of the most defining moments in India’s post-Independence history. The Union Home Minister has claimed over 40,000 lives in last 35 years and also left many countless others disabled. 

History of Naxalism

Charu Majumdar led the peasant uprising in Naxalbari, West Bengal due to which Naxalite movement started in India. Naxalism seeks to overthrow the state through armed rebellion, primarily operating in the Red Corridor. The Indian government has combated Naxalism through the security measures and also development initiatives. 

Also read: Chhattisgarh Naxal Encounter: A Major Blow to Naxalism As 14 Naxalites, Including Senior Leader Jairam Alias Chalpati, Are Neutralised