DNA Explainer: How some states managed to curb Left Wing extremism and what Chhattisgarh needs to learn

Since the last decade, Chhattisgarh has been the worst affected state by the Left Wing Extremism. April 3, saw one of the deadliest Maoist attacks on security personnel killing our 22 Bravehearts. Questions are being raised as to was this a tactical mistake by the forces or a security lapse. However, the question pertaining to this is much bigger than that. 

In 2010, the Chintalnar massacre claimed the lives of 76  security personnel. From then on to the Dantewada-Sukma-Bijapur attacks, more than 175 security personnel have lost their lives in Maoist ambushes alone.

The number of districts declared Naxal-affected is now just 90, down from over 200 in the early 2000s. Still, Chhattisgarh has been struggling to curtail the nuisance of red terror in its state. 

However, if you look at the other Maoist affected states like Maharashtra, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha - the state police have played a vital role to curb the red terror and Chhattisgarh has few things to learn from these states.

How State police can play a key role

Some of the states have been quite successful in curbing the Maoists. One of the biggest reasons is the key role played by the state police in these states. 

Talking of the Southern state of Andhra Pradesh, the state's Greyhounds have played a major role in controlling Maoist violence.

Another state Maharashtra where Maoists held sway over several districts, has now been confined to border areas of Gadchiroli by local police and the C60 force.

West Bengal achieved normalcy through an ingenious strategy adopted by the state police.

The Jharkhand Jaguars have gained an upper hand in the past few years in the state that has been one of the worst affected in the country.

Odisha has confined Maoist activity largely to Malkangiri thanks to broad administrative interventions in Koraput.

How West Bengal curbed Maoism

Naxalism started in West Bengal in the late 1960s. However, by the early 1970s, they were thrown out of the state.

But it came back by the late 1990s when Maoists began targeting CPM cadre in some districts.

However, West Bengal state police took the lead and developed intelligence and infiltrated the groups. 

They were eventually successful to drive out the Maoists from the state with the help of robust use of technology and intelligence.

West Bengal police massively used phone interception to track down the Maoists. 

CPM had a robust network in villages that came in handy. By the late 2000s, police had almost curbed the red menace.

However, Maoists hit back with the 2010 Shilda attack, in which 25 policemen were killed. The police then raised a special force, Straco.

With this special force more women police cadres were used in operations for better intelligence gathering.

The final push came after Mamata Banerjee came to power. In 2011, state police killed top Maoist leader Kishenji.

Since then, Maoist violence and the death of security personnel have gone down consistently in West Bengal.