The Maoist insurgency is facing its biggest challenge — a “degeneration of ideology” and a “split” within its ranks. Killings by Naxals over the last three months show that the violence is no longer aimed only at the security forces but at civilians too, and that there are also caste battles.
Intelligence reports submitted to the MHA indicate that the CPI (Maoist) has split on tribal and non-tribal lines in Bihar and Jharkhand and that their cadres are killing each other. The Maoists recently killed five people in Rohtas in retaliation to the recent killing of their zonal commander by a splinter group. Rallying behind states that are mustering “local support” to tackle the Naxals, the Centre is set to file a petition in the Supreme Court in the next 10 days asking it to review its judgment on disbanding Salwa Judum.