During his stay in the guerrilla zones, Jan Myrdal noted that the female cadres of CPI (Maoist) constituted about 40% of its PLGA, and held numerous "command positions"; but currently, the female members comprises 60% of the Maoist cadres, and women commanders heads 20 of the 27 divisions of the guerrilla zones.
According to one estimate, the correct Naxilities' strength is 9,000–10,000 armed fighters, with access to about 6,500 firearms.
As per the seizures, Maoists used varied arms and ammunitions such as gelatine sticks, detonators, RDX cable wires, country-made weapons, INSAS rifles, AK-47s, SLRs, and improvised explosive devices.
The party has always shunned down the accusations that they procure arms through China, Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Talking on the issue, Ganapathy says, “Our weapons are mainly country-made. All the modern weapons we have are mainly seized from the government armed forces when we attack them.”
As per the latest estimations, PLGA members have decreased from 10,000 − 12,000 to 8,000 − 9,000.
However, another report is vise versa and said that the PLGA has strengthened over the past few years. It claims that PLGA has mustered 12 companies and over 25 platoons and a supply platoon in year 2013 as compared with 8 companies and 13 platoons of 2008.
The People's Militia which is armed with bows, arrows, and machetesis and is believed to logistically assist the PLGA is estimated to be around 38,000.
At present, the CPI (maoist) party has a wide spread presence in remote regions of Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh. Their presence can also be felt in Bihar and the tribal-dominated areas in the borderlands of Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Odisha.
Around 87 districts in nine states of the country are declared as Maoist-affected by the Home Ministry of India.
Here are some of the Major Maoist attacks in India so far:
