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Inside Abujhmad, once a perilous Naxal safe haven
The piece documents a government-led effort to map and survey Abujhmad, a vast forest region in Narayanpur, Bijapur, and Dantewada districts that was long controlled by Maoists. It notes a shift after security forces penetrated the area in late 2024, the killing of the Maoist leader Basavaraju in 2025, and ongoing mapping with IIT Roorkee support, including field visits in April 2026.
Why It Matters
Mapping and integrating Abujhmad into government programs marks a significant change in governance for isolated indigenous communities and signals the waning influence of Maoist networks in the region.
Timeline
5 Events
Progress update: 412 villages mapped in Narayanpur, 377 inhabited
April 20, 2026
Across Narayanpur district, mapping has covered 412 villages, of which 377 are inhabited. Villages inside the forest are sparsely populated and located up to 70 km from the district headquarters. Officials say roads are being built and identity cards are being prepared to link residents to welfare schemes.
Field survey team conducts mapping mission in Abujhmad
April 17, 2026
Namrata Jain and team ride on a motorcycle and traverse forest tracks to reach remote villages believed to be off maps, as part of the ongoing mapping exercise.
MoU signed with IIT Roorkee to support mapping
January 2026
A memorandum of understanding was signed in January 2026 under which IIT Roorkee would support the survey and mapping of Abujhmad.
Maoist leader Nambala Keshava Rao aka Basavaraju killed in Abujhmad
2025
Maoist chief Nambala Keshava Rao, alias Basavaraju, who was wanted for over five decades, was traced in Abujhmad and killed in a gunfight in 2025.
Security forces penetrate Abujhmad, marking turning point in anti-Maoist operations
2024
Late in 2024, security forces first managed to penetrate Abujhmad forest, a development officials describe as a turning point in the fight against Maoists. The area, which had functioned as a central base for CPI(Maoist), began to come under state reach as camps were established.