Data indicates a significant increase in female Maoists killed in security operations.

• Over one-third of alleged Maoist cadres killed in Chhattisgarh security operations since 2024 were women.
• The percentage of women Maoist cadres killed in security operations increased in 2024 and 2025, coinciding with the Ministry of Home Affairs’ call to end Maoism by March 2026.
• In 2024, 217 Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh were women, while by June 20 this year, 82 were killed out of 195 Maoists killed.
• In 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, the number of Maoists killed was 65, 40, 51, 30 and 20 respectively, with women killed in the respective years.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs argues that Maoists have formed Bal Dastas comprising young children in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand to brainwash and indoctrinate them to Maoist ideology.
• Despite disapproval of ‘patriarchy’, the number of women in top Maoist leadership positions is negligible.
• Inspector-General of Police P. Sundarraj explains that women and young girls were often coerced into joining Maoist groups, but were largely used as foot soldiers and human shields.