Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have repeatedly spoken of their vision for a Naxal-free India. On Diwali, the government celebrated the progress made towards that promise, presenting it as a moment of national achievement.
Yet, away from the celebrations, the realities of the conflict continue to unfold, often in the lives of CRPF personnel who remain at the forefront of the fight.
For the jawans, the promise of a Naxal-free India is not merely a political milestone or a celebratory announcement. It is a daily reality shaped by difficult terrain, uncertain threats, and the risks they carry with them. And perhaps, in the larger narrative of success, their sacrifices deserve a place no less significant than the victories being celebrated.
Four Jaish-e-Mohammed-linked attackers stormed the Army brigade headquarters at Uri in one of the deadliest attacks on military installations in Jammu and Kashmir. The assault claimed the lives of 19 soldiers, while another 19–30 personnel were injured. The attack triggered widespread outrage and became a defining moment in India's counter-terror response.
Militants infiltrated the Army's 166-unit area at Nagrota, near the headquarters of 16 Corps, targeting a strategically significant military establishment. The attack resulted in the deaths of seven soldiers, including two officers, highlighting the vulnerabilities of military installations despite their security arrangements.
Militants targeted a CRPF convoy at Frestbal near Pampore, launching an attack on personnel travelling along a key route in Kashmir. Eight CRPF personnel were killed and 20 others injured, making it another significant loss for the paramilitary force operating in the region.
Militants attacked a CRPF camp in Srinagar, bringing the violence directly to a security establishment within the city. Five personnel were killed in the assault, adding to the mounting casualties among forces deployed in Jammu and Kashmir.
A military convoy came under attack at Hyderpora in Srinagar when militants ambushed the vehicles. The assault killed eight soldiers, underscoring the continuing risks faced by personnel even while moving through urban areas and established security zones.
A Jaish-e-Mohammed suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a CRPF convoy at Lethapora, Pulwama, on the Jammu–Srinagar highway. The attack killed 40 CRPF personnel and injured 35 others, becoming the deadliest attack on security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. The scale of the casualties sent shockwaves across the country and marked a major turning point in India's response to cross-border terrorism.
Militants attacked a CRPF convoy near Sopore in Baramulla district, targeting personnel deployed in the region. Three CRPF personnel were killed and three others injured in the assault, adding to the continuing toll of attacks on security forces in north Kashmir.
Militants ambushed an Army patrol in Dehra Ki Gali, Poonch, triggering a prolonged counter-terror operation in the surrounding area. The initial ambush killed five soldiers, while a subsequent attack during the search operation claimed the lives of four more personnel. The episode became one of the deadliest operations for the Army in the region that year, with casualties extending beyond the initial encounter.
Terrorists attacked an Army vehicle travelling from Bhimber Gali towards Sangiot in Poonch district. The assault killed five Rashtriya Rifles soldiers, once again exposing military personnel travelling through the region to the threat of militant ambushes.
Militants ambushed troops in the Kandi forest area of Rajouri while security forces were engaged in counter-terror operations. Five soldiers were killed in the attack and an officer was wounded, adding to the casualties from successive operations in the Jammu region.
Two military vehicles were ambushed by militants near Dhatyar Morh in Poonch as troops were reinforcing a counter-terror operation. The attack killed four soldiers and wounded three others, marking another major setback for security forces in the region towards the end of the year.
Militants attacked an Indian Air Force convoy in Poonch, targeting personnel travelling through the district. One IAF soldier was killed and four others injured in the assault, bringing military personnel from another service into the mounting toll of attacks in the Jammu region.
Terrorists ambushed an Army convoy in the Machedi forest area of Kathua district, targeting troops moving through a forested stretch. Five Army personnel were killed and another five to six injured, highlighting the continuing threat posed by militant attacks in areas that had witnessed a renewed pattern of violence.
Security forces came under attack during operations against militants in Doda district. Four Army soldiers were killed in action, adding to the series of deadly encounters and ambushes that marked the escalation of violence in the Jammu region during 2024.
A police search party was ambushed during an anti-infiltration operation in the Safiyan/Saniyal forest belt of Kathua. Four J&K Police Special Operations Group personnel were killed and seven others, including a Deputy Superintendent of Police, were injured. The operation also resulted in the deaths of two or three terrorists, highlighting the intensity of the confrontation in the forested area.
Two motorcycle-borne attackers opened fire on a CRPF checkpoint party near Mir Bazar in Kulgam at around 2:15 pm before fleeing the scene. Three CRPF personnel were injured, one of them seriously. Following the attack, joint teams of the Army, CRPF and J&K Police launched a cordon-and-search operation to trace the assailants and secure the area.
India's pursuit of a Naxal-free nation may mark a significant chapter in its security history, but the larger aspiration of a terror-free India remains a work in progress. Behind every milestone are years of operations, countless encounters, and the lives of personnel who stood between violence and the people they were sworn to protect. Their sacrifices rarely find a place in the rhetoric of victory, yet they remain an enduring reminder that peace is measured not merely by the threats eliminated, but by the lives no longer lost. And until that day arrives, the question of when India will truly be free from terrorism will remain as much a national aspiration as a promise.