From Red Salutes to Lasting Peace: Balaghat’s Triumph Over Naxalism

Madhya Pradesh has scripted a historic victory in the fight against Naxalism, with Balaghat district emerging as its frontline hero. Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav declared the region Naxal free, crediting the unyielding spirit of local police and Hawk Force personnel. “Balaghat’s name embodies strength. Its jawans have crushed the Himalayan challenge of Naxalism with sheer resolve,” he stated at a ceremonial event in Balaghat Police Lines. This milestone, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s national push, saw Madhya Pradesh police force Naxals to their knees, bidding a final farewell to their “red salute.”

The campaign’s success is etched in sacrifice and strategy. Madhya Pradesh lost 38 police personnel and 27 civilians, yet Hawk Force operations intensified, conducting 4104 missions, a 23 percent rise from last year, despite monsoons and wildlife hazards. In 2025 alone, they neutralized 10 hardcore Naxals using the “Megacaso” strategy, upholding the government’s ultimatum: surrender or perish. Dr. Yadav honored 60 bravehearts with in situ promotions, from constables to inspectors, recognizing their valor in encounters. He unveiled a Naxal memoir booklet, inaugurated ISO certifications for 32 police stations, and paid floral tribute at the Amar Jawan Jyoti, now a memorial to the Naxal free drive.

Balaghat’s transformation is profound. Once a blood soaked battleground bordering Chhattisgarh’s 836 km frontier, site of former minister Likhiram Kawre’s brazen murder, it now pulses with promise. Dr. Yadav assured no Naxal resurgence, backed by renewed schools, single window citizen centers, forest rights patta for tribals, and job camps. In this Krishi Kalyan Varsh (Farmers’ Welfare Year), a Krishi Cabinet will boost agriculture in Mahakoushal’s Balaghat. As Superintendent of Police Aditya Mishra put it, “Where bullets once echoed, employment, trust, and education will now resound.”

This victory demands vigilance and vision. Naxal voids must fill with roads, schools like the 280 plus Vidyamjali centers of excellence, and youth jobs to prevent relapse. Hawk Force’s expansion to 882 posts sets a strong base, but integrating locals through development is key. Madhya Pradesh’s model, blending force with welfare, offers a blueprint for other states.

Balaghat’s jawans have not just ended Naxal terror. They have reclaimed hope. As Dr. Yadav envisions, let this be the era where guns yield to growth, ensuring peace endures.