Left Wing Extremism (LWE) and the Red Corridor
Left Wing Extremism in India refers to the armed Maoist/Naxalite insurgency, which originated in the Naxalbari uprising of 1967 in West Bengal. The CPI (Maoist) — formed in 2004 by the merger of People's War Group and Maoist Communist Centre — is the primary organisation driving the insurgency. The affected region, historically spanning parts of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, and West Bengal, is called the "Red Corridor."
- Insurgency began: Naxalbari, West Bengal, 1967
- CPI (Maoist) formed: 2004
- At peak (circa 2010): violence spanned over 200 districts across 20 states
- MHA's target: Complete elimination of LWE by March 2026
- LWE violence reduction: 88% between 2010 and 2025 (Amit Shah, Parliament, Feb 2026)
- Civilian and security personnel deaths: reduced 90%, from 1,005 (2010) to 100 (2025)
● Tracked since February 18, 2026 · last seen April 18, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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