Bhubaneswar, March 7 -- India would be free from Maoist violence by March 31, Union home minister Amit Shah reiterated on Friday, adding that security forces will defeat those who dream of building a red corridor from Andhra Pradesh's Tirupati to Pashupati in Nepal. "Today, I want to assure the nation that the country will be Maoist-free by March 31," he said, while addressing an event to mark the 57th Raising Day of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at Mundali in Odisha's Cuttack district. He emphasised that this goal is a central "pledge" taken by the Narendra Modi government, and lauded the CISF's critical contributions to security operations in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana. "The dream of those who imagined a Red Corridor from Tirupati to Pashupati will be completely defeated, and our security forces will establish full control. This will be a major achievement under the leadership of the Prime Minister," he said. Shah had set a deadline of March 31, 2026 to completely wipe out LWE from the country. On February 3, the ministry of home affairs had informed Parliament that LWE-related violent incidents have come down by 80%, from 1,936 incidents in 2010 to only 234 in 2025. Lauding CISF, Shah said that the security force has collectively received 13,700 medals for bravery and distinguished service since its existence. Highlighting the force's expanding mandate, he announced a series of new responsibilities for it. The home ministry has decided to entrust the security of all major ports to the CISF, adding a significant maritime dimension to the force's existing remit. Additionally, CISF has been designated as the nodal agency for drone security, with a new vertical to be established for this purpose. Shah inaugurated and laid foundation stones of several projects worth Rs.890 crore at the event, covering five different schemes. HTC...