Civilians have been the biggest casualty due to the Naxal violence across various States during the last three decades.
As many as 11,742 civilians have been killed in Naxal violence since 1980 till June 2013 followed by 4,638 casualties suffered by the ultras and security forces losing 2,947 personnel during the period. Attrition of security forces has been maximum during the UPA I and UPA II regimes with almost two-third of the deaths being recorded from 2004 to mid-2013. A substantial 1,797 security personnel were killed by the Naxals during the period.
likewise, 40 per cent of the casualties suffered by civilians were recorded during the UPA regimes. But only one third of the Naxals killed from 1980 till June 2013 were recorded during the UPA regimes. Casualties suffered by the security forces have registered an upward spiral from 2005 onwards. As many as 153 security personnel were killed in 2005, 157 in 2006, 236 in 2007, 231 in 2008, 317 in 2009 and 285 in 2010. The attrition of the armed personnel at the hands of ultras was partially contained in 2011 with 142 casualties in the year followed by 114 in 2012 and 62 in first six months of 2013.
UPA regime also registered the maximum number of civilian casualties in 2010 with 720 deaths. Between 2004 and 2012, an average of about 500 people was killed every year. Maximum number of Naxals was killed in 1998 with elimination of 296 ultras. Significant liquidation of ultras was also recorded in 1992 (285), 1996 (187), 1997 (187), 1999 (261), 2000 (254), 2001 (182), 2003 (214), 2005 (225), 2006 274) and 2009 (220).
The data was provided by the Union Home Ministry in response to an application under the Right to Information Act, 2005. A senior official said the data suggests that core capabilities of the Maoists have not only remained intact but have improvised their lethality over the years by inflicting more and more casualties on security forces’ personnel trained in counter insurgency.