India: 15 Maoists arrested in Sukma (Chhattisgarh state)

Event

Fifteen Naxalites (Maoists insurgents) were arrested in Chhattisgarh state's Sukma district, a Maoist bastion, on Thursday, March 22. The arrests came a week after nine Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in an IED blast in the district carried out by suspected Maoists. On April 24, 2017, 25 military personnel were killed in a similar ambush in Sukma.

Context

Maoist insurgents (Naxalites) are active in rural/remote areas of Chhattisgarh, Jharkand, Odisha, Bihar, and West Bengal states, as well as in the border region between Andra Pradesh and in remote parts of Bihar and West Bengal states. For this reason, the Odisha government has imposed major restrictions on the movement of foreign tourists in rural areas.

Advice

Foreign nationals present in India are advised to follow the advice of the local authorities if planning to visit the rural areas of these states.