CRPF Distributes 10,000 Radios in Bastar to Strengthen Gains Against Maoists

The CRPF has distributed over 10,000 radio sets across remote areas of Bastar in Chhattisgarh to connect villagers with government programmes and national news while helping counter Maoist influence in the region.

The four-month campaign included hundreds of village meetings where CRPF personnel explained government welfare schemes, entertainment broadcasts, and the prime minister’s monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address. The initiative, launched under the Ministry of Home Affairs’ special civic action programme, aims to link locals with the national mainstream and reduce the ideological grip of Maoists.

Officials say the outreach is a “soft power” exercise that complements the security forces’ recent successes under operations like Operation Kagar, which targeted Maoist strongholds along the Chhattisgarh–Telangana border. Over the past few months, several senior Maoist leaders have been eliminated, including central committee members and key area commanders, while hundreds of lower-rank cadres have surrendered.

Despite these setbacks, some Maoist groups continue to operate in dense forest belts such as Abujhmarh and Sukma, making communication and trust-building vital. The radio distribution, along with plans to erect more transmission towers, is intended to keep remote communities informed and connected so that extremist groups find it harder to exploit isolation and misinformation.

Officials believe that combining strong security operations with community outreach will help ensure the long-term decline of left-wing extremism in Bastar and other affected regions.