'Maoist terrorism was injustice to young people': PM Modi says 300 Naxals surrendered in 24 hours

Speaking at the NDTV World Summit 2025, the Prime Minister also opened up emotionally about the “pain” he has felt witnessing the violence and loss of life caused by Maoist insurgency over the years.

“In the last 50-55 years, thousands were killed by Maoist terrorists. These Naxals would not allow schools or hospitals to be built... they would not let doctors enter clinics... they would bomb institutions. Maoist terrorism was an injustice to the young people,” the Prime Minister said.

“I used to feel agitated... this is the first time I am expressing my pain to the world,” he added, addressing a gathering that included Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and former premiers Tony Abbott of Australia and Rishi Sunak of the United Kingdom.

The Prime Minister said his government had taken “special efforts” to reach out to “wayward youth” and help them reintegrate into society. “Today the country is seeing the result of these efforts,” he said, referring to the wave of surrenders reported this week.

“Now, 303 Naxals have surrendered. These were not normal people... they were carrying bounties on their heads, and a huge cache of arms was recovered from them,” PM Modi told the NDTV World Summit audience.

He said the crackdown has drastically reduced the number of Naxal-affected districts from 125 a decade ago to just 11 today.

PM Modi’s remarks came a day after at least 170 Maoists surrendered in Chhattisgarh, long considered the epicentre of India’s Naxal conflict.

“Earlier, the headlines were about vehicles blown up in Bastar and security personnel killed. Today, the youth there are organising ‘Bastar Olympics’. This is a big change,” he said. “Now, they will be able to celebrate Diwali.”

According to NDTV, the mass surrender in Bastar led by Central Committee member Rupesh alias Satish Kofa could mark a turning point in the decades-long conflict.

Speaking to the channel after laying down arms, Kofa said his focus now is “not on surrendering” but on “changing the way of struggle for the people.”