In a significant breakthrough in anti-Maoist efforts, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday lauded security forces for a major operation in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district, where 16 Maoists were killed and a large cache of automatic weapons seized.

Describing the operation as one of the biggest in Sukma’s history, Shah emphasized that the central government remains firmly committed to ending Maoist violence by March 31, 2026.

“Another strike on Naxalism! Our security agencies have neutralised 16 Naxalites and recovered a massive cache of automatic weapons in an operation in Sukma,” Shah wrote on X. He further appealed to those still involved in Maoist activities to give up violence, stating, “Weapons and violence cannot bring change; only peace and development can.”

Joint anti-Maoist operation marks major success

The encounter involved coordinated action by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), based on specific intelligence inputs. Officials said the joint team launched the operation on March 28 in the Kerlapal area of Sukma, leading to an exchange of fire that continued into Saturday morning.

Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan confirmed the recovery of the bodies of 16 Maoists and the seizure of advanced weapons including AK-47s, Self-Loading Rifles (SLRs), and INSAS rifles. He added that two security personnel were injured during the operation and are receiving medical care.

The identities of the slain Maoists are yet to be established, and search operations are underway across the surrounding forest areas.

Maoist violence on decline, says Shah

Citing Parliament data, Shah recently highlighted a sharp decline in Maoist violence over the last decade. Between 2004 and 2014, there were 16,463 violent incidents, which fell by 53% in the subsequent ten years.

The number of security personnel martyred dropped from 1,851 to 509—a 73% decline—while civilian casualties reduced by 70%, from 4,766 to 1,495.

Highlighting development in Maoist-affected regions, Shah said 11,503 km of highways and 20,000 km of rural roads have been constructed since 2014. Furthermore, over 4,800 mobile towers have been installed in two phases, with another 4,000 underway, aiming to ensure full mobile connectivity by December 1.

Sukma, situated in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, has long been a hotbed of Maoist activity. However, security forces’ intensified operations and government-led development initiatives are steadily reclaiming ground from insurgents.

As the new financial year begins on April 1, 2025, several key financial and regulatory changes will come into effect that will impact salaried individuals, pensioners, UPI users, and businesses alike.

Revised income tax slabs bring relief to middle-income earners

Under the new tax regime announced in the Union Budget, individuals earning up to ₹12 lakh annually will be exempt from paying income tax. The revised slab also includes a standard deduction of ₹75,000, effectively exempting those with an annual salary up to ₹12.75 lakh from taxes.

Here is the new tax structure:

• Up to Rs 4 lakh – No tax
• Rs 4 lakh to Rs 8 lakh – 5%
• Rs 8 lakh to Rs 12 lakh – 10%
• Rs 12 lakh to Rs 16 lakh – 15%
• Rs 16 lakh to Rs 20 lakh – 20%
• Rs 20 lakh to Rs 24 lakh – 25%
• Above Rs 24 lakh – 30%
  

Unified Pension Scheme promises post-retirement stability for government staff

The Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), launched in August 2024, will come into force from April 1. The scheme is aimed at benefiting around 23 lakh central government employees. Those who have served for 25 years or more will be entitled to a pension equal to 50% of their average basic salary over the last 12 months, offering a more secure retirement.

UPI security tightened with inactive number purge

To enhance digital payment security, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has issued guidelines for banks and UPI service providers to phase out inactive mobile numbers linked with UPI.

From April 1, UPI platforms are mandated to use the Mobile Number Revocation List (MNRL) and Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP) to regularly update user data—at least once a week. Users with inactive numbers are advised to update their mobile details with their banks to prevent loss of UPI access or potential misuse.

GST filing and authentication norms become stricter

In the GST domain, multi-factor authentication (MFA) will become mandatory for users logging into the GST portal, improving data security. Further updates include:

• E-Way Bills (EWB) will be restricted to documents not older than 180 days.
• GSTR-7 filings for Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) must now be filed in sequence with no skipping of months.
  Promoters and directors will be required to visit a GST Suvidha Kendra for biometric verification.

These changes are part of broader efforts to streamline compliance and secure financial systems as the country enters the new fiscal year.

Former UP Shia Waqf Board chief Jitendra Narayan Tyagi (formerly Wasim Rizvi) has approached the Supreme Court seeking the clubbing of multiple criminal cases filed against him in Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir for alleged hate speeches and derogatory remarks against Islam and the Muslim community.

The Supreme Court bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta on Friday issued notices to the governments of Uttarakhand and the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, asking for a reply within four weeks.

Tyagi, who is facing at least four separate cases, including FIRs and private complaints, has requested that all proceedings be consolidated at a single location, citing grave security threats if he is forced to travel, especially to Jammu & Kashmir. In his plea, he stated that he has only two security guards despite “serious life threats” and that “appearing before the courts in J&K could be fatal.”

During the hearing, Tyagi’s lawyer Anurag Kishore sought interim protection from the court, citing life threats. However, the bench declined the request, remarking that “threats exist everywhere.”

Initially hesitant, the court agreed to examine the plea and issue formal notices to the respective state authorities.

Background of the cases

Tyagi is currently facing multiple criminal proceedings:

An FIR in Haridwar for allegedly making defamatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad during the release of his book Muhammad in June 2021.

A private complaint in Srinagar, J&K, over alleged insulting remarks against Islam made in a July 2021 TV broadcast from Lucknow.

An FIR in Haridwar from December 2021 for statements made at the Dharma Sansad, a religious event.

A third FIR in January 2022 also in Uttarakhand, based on similar allegations.

Tyagi, who converted from Islam to Hinduism, has been a controversial figure and has previously made inflammatory remarks, triggering legal and public backlash.

His legal team, comprising Anurag Kishore, Lakhan Kumar Mishra, and Ritika Shrivastava, argued that the multiplicity of cases and summons across different states poses not only a logistical burden but also a serious threat to his safety.