In Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, security forces have torn down more than 100 Maoist memorials since 2023 as part of efforts to weaken the insurgents' influence. These structures, once symbols of Maoist dominance, were used to instill fear and ideological control in local communities. Officials describe the demolitions as a deliberate step toward restoring state authority and normalcy.
For over 40 years, Bastar in Chhattisgarh served as a stronghold for Maoists, who constructed hundreds of memorials to honor their leaders and members. These sites symbolized the group's control over large areas and were instrumental in maintaining fear, dominance, and ideological sway among local communities.
The tide turned in recent years. Over the past three years, security forces have eliminated more than 520 Maoists and prompted several surrenders. In parallel, they demolished over 100 such memorials. From 2018 to 2023, around 60 were destroyed, including 24 in 2021. The pace accelerated thereafter, with 113 taken down between 2023 and February 2026.
G P Singh, Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force, emphasized the strategy in a social media post: “Brick by brick, we would destroy the idea and its manifestation in each and every form.” The post accompanied a video showing a JCB machine razing one memorial.
One prominent example was a 64-foot-tall structure in Komatpalli village, about 90 km from Bijapur district headquarters near the Telangana border. In August 2022, Maoists had assembled hundreds of villagers there for ‘Shahidi Saptah’ (Martyrs’ Week), an event attended by senior leaders and members of Battalion 1 of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army—the armed wing of the Communist Party of India (Maoist). The area was then beyond security reach, but forces demolished the memorial in January 2025, according to Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Yadav.
Inspector General of Police for Bastar range, Sundarraj P, explained the intent: “The removal of Maoist memorials and symbols is a conscious decision to end the ideological influence of Maoism and to strengthen the process of restoring normalcy in the region, reinforcing good governance, and integrating society into the mainstream.” He added that such demolitions signal the reinforcement of state authority and the diminishing Maoist presence.
