The long-drawn Maoist insurgency in the country will be "completely erased" in two to three years, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh declared on Sunday. Addressing the 26th anniversary of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), a specialised wing of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the minister said the situation had changed and Maoists were now confined to only 10 or 12 districts.

Praising the CRPF's role in Maoist-affected areas, Singh said the 3.5 lakh-strong-force had neutralised 131 Maoists this year between January and September 20 and caught another 1,278.