India, Feb. 23 -- It now appears certain that the Union government will meet its deadline of March 31, 2026 to eradicate Maoist violence from India. The surrender of party general secretary Thippiri Tirupati alias Devji, 60, and central committee-cum-politburo member Malla Raji Reddy alias Sangram, 76, along with 16 other members of the party over the weekend was only the latest in a string of successes for the security forces. The operation against Left Wing Extremism, announced a little over two years ago, has switched gears in recent months - as fierce gunfights deep inside rebel strongholds have given way to a series of high-profile surrenders spanning Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. No doubt, the relentless security inr...