Bihar Declared Naxal-Free After Decades of Insurgency: How the Red Terror Ended

Patna: Bihar, once gripped by the fear of Naxal insurgency, has officially been declared Naxal-free in 2026. During the 1980s and 1990s, entire districts in the state were under the shadow of armed Naxalite groups. Residents avoided going out after dusk, and even the police hesitated to enter areas where Naxals ran parallel administrations. Today, Bihar celebrates a new dawn, free from decades of ‘Red Terror’.

The End of an Era
The final chapter of this violent period came to a close in Munger when hardcore Naxal Suresh Koda, alias Mustaqeem, with a reward of ₹3 lakh on his head, surrendered to security forces. Koda’s surrender marks not just the capitulation of a criminal, but the symbolic end of nearly five decades of Naxal insurgency in Bihar.

Origins of Naxalism in Bihar
Naxalism in Bihar traces its roots to the armed revolution in West Bengal in 1967. The movement first took hold in Bhojpur under the leadership of the CPI (M-L) party. By the 1980s and 1990s, factions like Party Unity and the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) had established strongholds in districts such as Jehanabad, Aurangabad, and Gaya. Naxal influence peaked after the merger of People’s War and MCC on September 21, 2004, forming the CPI (Maoist). The state then witnessed a series of massacres and police encounters.

Government Measures Reduce Naxal Influence
In 2013, 22 districts in Bihar were declared Naxal-affected. The state’s rehabilitation policies encouraged insurgents to surrender and reintegrate into mainstream society. Programs such as the Nitish Kumar government’s 2007 ‘Sarkar Aapke Dwar’ initiative proved a game-changer. By 2019, the number of Naxal-affected districts dropped to 16, and by 2024, only eight districts remained under influence.

Some Naxals were killed in encounters with police and central forces, further reducing the strength of hardcore Naxal groups. The number of active Naxal cadres fell from 190 in 2020 to just 16 by December 2024. By December 2025, apart from Suresh Koda’s group, only two armed Naxal squads remained active in Bihar.

Suresh Koda and His Crimes
Suresh Koda, a resident of Paisra village in Munger, had been evading police for 25 years as an active member of the Naxals’ SAC branch. His surrender led to the recovery of lethal weapons including:

• AK-47 rifle – 1
• AK-56 rifle – 1
• INSAS rifles – 2
• Various ammunition – 505 rounds
• INSAS magazines – 8
• AK-47/56 magazines – 2

Koda faced 60 criminal cases across Munger, Lakhisarai, and Jamui districts, including high-profile murders in 2008 and 2010.

Cutting Off Naxal Funding
Authorities not only neutralized Naxal cadres but also froze their financial sources. Under UAPA and PMLA, assets worth ₹6.75 crore were seized between 2012 and 2025. Another ₹8.97 crore in assets was referred for seizure by the Enforcement Directorate. In 2025 alone, 220 Naxals surrendered, choosing to return to mainstream society.

Bihar Emerges Naxal-Free
With Suresh Koda’s surrender, Munger and the entire state of Bihar are now officially free of Naxal insurgents. Police officials, including Sanjay Kumar Singh, Deputy Inspector General, Munger range, hailed this as a historic milestone.

Bihar’s journey from fear and violence to peace is a testament to sustained government action, rehabilitation initiatives, and the bravery of security forces over decades.