Terming Naxal violence as a challenge to democracy, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Saturday that the country will be freed from left-wing extremism by March 2026.

A total of 17,000 people have lost their lives in the country due to Naxal violence so far, Shah said, adding that a strong and ruthless strategy is required for launching the last assault against the ultras.

Shah, however, noted that there was a 53 per cent drop in Naxal incidents in the country during 2014-24 as compared to 2004-14 period.“I appeal to Naxals to give up violence and surrender,” he said after a meeting of the Inter-State Coordination Committee of Naxal-affected States in Raipur.

The home minister informed that the government is working to fill the security vacuum in the left-wing extremism-hit areas. Security operations and development works are undertaken side by side, he added.“It is time to deal the final blow to the problem of Left Wing Extremism with a strong strategy,” Shah said.

The minister further claimed that besides the security forces, central agencies like the NIA and the ED have also worked to dismantle Maoist finances.“We believe we will be able to free the country from Left Wing Extremism by March 2026,” Shah said.