Maoist conflicts claimed 5,344 lives in India since 2004

November 25, 2016

Kasargod, Nov 25: The total death toll of the armed conflicts of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), since its formation in 2004 has touched 5,344, according to a Swedish database. Of this, 3,687 happened during the conflicts between CPI (Maoist) and the state forces. The rest, 1,657 civilians, were killed by the one-sided attack launched by CPI (Maoists), the database showed.

CPI (Maoist) was formed in September 2004 with the merger of People's War Group (PWG) and Maoist Communist Centre (MCC), two rebel groups that were acting independently till then. The group is sometimes referred to as `Naxalites', locally. Before the merger, PWG-involved conflicts resulted in 1,579 deaths and MCC caused another 282 deaths from 1989 to 2004.

"In terms of organization, the group is run by a central committee, but it also operates through a number of political fronts, such as labour, women's and youth organizations. The armed wing of the CPI (Maoist) is called the PLGA (Peoples Liberation Guerrilla Army). From 2004 to 2008, it had some 6,500 - 9500 men as personnel. They mainly carried small arms," reads the profile of CPI (Maoist) kept by the Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP) at the department of peace and conflict research at Uppsala University in Sweden.

Maoist tactics include triggering explosions and ambushing Indian security forces, said the database."The war strategy of the insurgents was at the outset directed at undermining government authority , rather than attacking military targets. They thus chose to specifically target the administrative structure of the state, such as government buildings, telephone exchanges, railway stations and police posts. The Naxalites boycott of state-elections has been violently enforced through widespread pre-poll violence and intimidation of candidates," it said.

Uppsala University's academics also highlights the bigger network, the Maoists are trying to develop. "It is clear that the CPI (Maoist) has had close links to the CPN-M (Communist Party of Nepal - Maoist) in Nepal, as well as being a member of the regional communist organisation CCOMPOSA (Coordination Committee of Maoist Parties and Organizations of South Asia). While CCOMPOSA has mainly bestowed moral support to the CPI (Maoist) it has been reported that the CPN-M has conducted joint operations and training together with Indian communists," it said.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

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December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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Mangaluru NRI returning from Saudi Arabia arrested over Instagram post

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December 15,2025

Mangaluru police have arrested a 27-year-old NRI on his return from Saudi Arabia in connection with an Instagram post allegedly containing derogatory and provocative remarks about the Hindu religion, officials said on Monday.

The accused, Abdul Khader Nehad, a resident of Ulaibettu in Mangaluru, was working in Saudi Arabia when the post was uploaded, police said.

A suo motu case was registered at the Bajpe police station on October 11 after an allegedly offensive post circulated from the Instagram account ‘team_sdpi_2025’. Police said the content was flagged for being provocative and derogatory in nature.

During the investigation, technical analysis traced the Instagram post to Nehad, who was residing abroad at the time, a senior police officer said. Based on these findings, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against him.

On December 14, Nehad arrived from Saudi Arabia at Calicut International Airport in Kerala, where he was taken into custody on arrival. Police said further investigation is underway.

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