IPS Dr. Jitendra Kumar Yadav’s Fight to End Naxal Terror in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh

IPS Dr. Jitendra Kumar Yadav is a 2018 Batch Officer of Chhattisgarh cadre and is currently posted as Superintendent of Police, Bijapur-one of the most Naxal affected districts in the state. His mission for the district is to aggressively fight against Naxalism and minimize the displacement of villagers.
 
“We are trying to fight Naxalism in an aggressive way because, if we are delaying this problem, then more people are suffering, ” he said.
 
Bijapur has a highly organised Naxal network in the region, and recruitment is also high, adding to the challenge. Explaining the scope, Dr Yadav said“ Over the last three months alone, we’ve recovered nearly 200 IEDs, 25 of which exploded, resulting in the deaths and injuries of several jawans”
 
To tackle all this, a multipronged strategy is adapted—operations, arrests, and rehabilitation. Security forces are conducting operations to arrest or neutralise militants. The second part is arrest, those who are left behind after encounters or are unarmed are taken into custody.
 
The third component of the approach is surrender. Under this as per the state policy, rehabilitation and skill development programs are provided. “At present, 90 surrendered Naxals are undergoing skill training, and accordingly, we will provide them jobs ”he explained.
 
Apart from this, Dr Yadav mentioned the role of camps in bringing positive change. “We’ve established nearly 20 security camps in interior areas where there were no roads, electricity, or basic infrastructure. This has made a huge difference,” he said.
 
Through these camps, the aim is to make villages more accessible, development unanimous and enhance security. “Many villagers have been forced to abandon their homes. They own 5, 10, even 50 acres of land, but cannot return because the Naxals don’t allow it. Either you support them, or you’re forced out. ”He said
 
Recalling an emotional moment from his journey, Yadav shared, I met an elderly woman .She told me, ‘I have just one wish—I want to go back to my village and die there.’
 
With a strong commitment,Dr Yadav is determined to restore peace and help people reclaim what is rightfully theirs.