Rashtriya Ekta Diwas 2026: Anti-Naxal forces parade at Ekta Nagar, honour 900+ sacrifices
Synopsis
At Ekta Nagar on Sardar Patel's 151st birth anniversary, India's anti-Naxal campaign was put on public record in rare numerical detail — over 900 security personnel killed, tens of thousands of Naxalites eliminated, arrested, or surrendered. With PM Modi watching, the parade was as much a ledger of sacrifice as a display of force.
Key Takeaways
PM Narendra Modi witnessed the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat on 31 October , the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel .
The CRPF recorded the highest toll among all forces: 781 personnel killed , alongside 1,387 Naxalite deaths , 29,237 arrests , and 15,766 surrenders .
The BSF deployed 16 battalions across Chhattisgarh and Odisha ; 40 BSF personnel lost their lives in operations.
Chhattisgarh Police's women Bastar Fighters , led by DySP Amrita Paikra , marched to highlight women's role in community outreach in Naxal-hit Bastar .
The Andhra Pradesh Greyhounds were credited with eliminating 746 Naxalites and mourned 57 personnel killed in service.
50 CISF personnel were also honoured for sacrifices made while protecting mining installations in Naxal-affected states.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 31 October witnessed a solemn and powerful parade at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat, where security forces engaged in counter-Left Wing Extremism (LWE) operations — including the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Chhattisgarh Police, and Andhra Pradesh Greyhounds — marched in tribute to their fallen comrades. The parade, held on the occasion of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas and the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, underscored the human and operational cost of India's decades-long campaign against Naxalism.
Parade Leadership and Formation
The march-past was led by Superintendent of Police Subodh Ramesh Mankar, a 2021-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Gujarat cadre, with Deputy Superintendent of Police Brij Kishor Yadav of Chhattisgarh Police serving as his deputy. The contingents brought together decorated officers and units drawn from central and state forces deployed across Naxal-affected regions of central and eastern India.
BSF and CRPF: Numbers Behind the Campaign
The BSF contingent was led by Assistant Commandant Rohan Badhawat. According to officials, 16 BSF battalions were deployed across Kanker and Abujhmad in Chhattisgarh and Malkangiri and Swabhiman Anchal in Odisha. The force's anti-Naxal record, as announced at the parade, includes eliminating 118 Naxalites, securing 2,297 surrenders, and arresting 1,908. 40 BSF personnel were said to have made the supreme sacrifice in these operations.
The CRPF's elite CoBRA unit, led by Assistant Commandant Ashutosh Tiguyat, was also featured. Ten CoBRA battalions were deployed in the forests of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, including participation in Operation Black Forest. The regular CRPF contingent, led by Assistant Commandant Pratishtha Rai, was credited with 1,387 Naxalite deaths, 29,237 arrests, and 15,766 surrenders over the course of its anti-Naxal campaign. Notably, 781 CRPF personnel were said to have lost their lives in these operations — the single highest toll among all forces represented.
Chhattisgarh Police: Women on the Frontline
A significant highlight was the contingent of Chhattisgarh Police's women Bastar Fighters, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Amrita Paikra. Their participation spotlighted the growing role of women security personnel in building trust with local communities in Naxal-affected Bastar. The state's Special Task Force (STF), commanded by DSP Om Prakash Singh, was credited with eliminating 597 Naxalites and securing 870 surrenders, with 47 personnel killed and 175 injured. The District Reserve Guard (DRG), led by DSP Kunti Banjare, recorded 1,240 Naxalite eliminations and 9,767 surrenders, with 72 personnel killed and 242 injured.
Andhra Pradesh Greyhounds and Other Forces
The Andhra Pradesh Greyhounds, led by DSP K Srinivasa Rao, were credited with eliminating 746 Naxalites, arresting 767, and securing 451 surrenders. The force's 57 personnel killed in operations were also remembered during the parade. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) contingent highlighted its role in protecting national mining installations in Naxal-affected states; 50 CISF personnel were said to have made the supreme sacrifice in the campaign. Other contingents included Jammu and Kashmir Police officers honoured with the Shaurya Chakra and CRPF decorated personnel recognised for counter-terrorism operations.
What the Parade Represents
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, observed annually on 31 October to mark Sardar Patel's birth anniversary, has in recent years become a platform to project India's internal security achievements alongside its unity narrative. This year's event at Ekta Nagar — the renamed Kevadia complex near the Statue of Unity — added a sharp operational dimension, tabulating the cumulative toll of the Naxal campaign in rare public detail. This comes amid a broader government push to declare significant portions of traditional Naxal-affected geography as cleared or pacified, a claim that security analysts and civil liberties groups continue to assess with varying conclusions. The parade's emphasis on sacrifices alongside operational statistics signals an intent to build both institutional pride and public awareness around a conflict that has lasted over five decades.
Point of View
Tens of thousands arrested or surrendered — is unusual in its specificity and marks a deliberate shift from ceremonial symbolism to accountability-of-achievement messaging. Yet the numbers, attributed to internal force records, have never been independently verified, and the government's parallel narrative of large swathes of Naxal territory being 'cleared' sits uneasily alongside active operations still underway in Abujhmad and parts of Bastar. The spotlight on women Bastar Fighters and community-trust building is significant: it acknowledges that kinetic operations alone have not resolved the underlying socioeconomic conditions that fuelled the insurgency. Rashtriya Ekta Diwas increasingly doubles as a national security showcase — a framing that serves political purposes but also risks glossing over the unfinished work that five decades and hundreds of lives have not yet completed.
NationPress
31 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Rashtriya Ekta Diwas and why is it celebrated on 31 October?
Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, or National Unity Day, is observed every year on 31 October to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first Home Minister of India who is credited with integrating the princely states into the Indian Union. The day was instituted to promote national unity and integrity.
Which security forces participated in the Ekta Nagar anti-Naxal parade?
The BSF, CRPF (including its elite CoBRA unit), Chhattisgarh Police (including the Bastar Fighters, STF, and DRG), Andhra Pradesh Greyhounds, CISF, and Jammu and Kashmir Police all participated. Each contingent highlighted its operational record and casualties in the campaign against Left-Wing Extremism.
How many security personnel have been killed in anti-Naxal operations according to the parade?
According to figures announced at the Ekta Nagar parade, over 900 personnel from various forces have lost their lives in anti-Naxal operations. The CRPF alone lost 781 personnel, while 40 BSF, 47 Chhattisgarh STF, 72 DRG, 57 AP Greyhounds, and 50 CISF personnel were also said to have made the supreme sacrifice.
What is the CRPF's CoBRA unit and what role did it play?
CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) is the CRPF's specialised jungle warfare unit trained for counter-Naxal operations. Ten CoBRA battalions were deployed in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand forests, including in 'Operation Black Forest', one of the major recent operations against Naxal strongholds.
What is the significance of the women Bastar Fighters contingent at the parade?
The Chhattisgarh Police's women Bastar Fighters, led by DySP Amrita Paikra, marched to highlight the role women security personnel play in building trust with local communities in Naxal-affected Bastar. Their inclusion signals a recognition that counter-insurgency in the region requires community engagement alongside kinetic operations.
