Overground workers (OGWs) of the outlawed CPI (Maoist), the political outfit of Naxals, are gradually moving out of the forests of Chhattisgarh to neighbouring towns, with the aim of spreading their ideology among urban dwellers.Top sources in the security establishment informed The Tribune that a close watch was being kept on these elements and their movement. Action could be taken against them if the need arises or if they are found to be indulging in any illegal activities or make any effort of regrouping, the sources said.With three months having gone by since the Centre’s March 31 deadline to completely eliminate Naxalism from the country, security and police personnel have been maintaining a constant vigil on the movement of Naxal cadres who are still hidden in the jungles of Chhattisgarh.Highly-placed sources said there was a definite movement of OWGs from the jungles of Chhattisgarh towards smaller towns. However, a close watch was being kept on their activities, and if they are found to be engaging in anything that crosses the boundaries of law, then appropriate action will be taken against such elements.They further added that most of the OWGs were outsiders and were not from local areas. If they remained within the legal boundaries, they would not be a threat, the source said, adding that armed retaliation was not expected from the surviving grassroots workers.Meanwhile, sources within the state’s police establishment told this newspaper that with almost all the top central committee members of the outlawed CPI (Maoists) having been killed or surrendered, the remaining cadres, had become powerless, as they did not have access to weapons.“Any kind of armed retaliation is not expected, as there is no armed cadre left. Besides, many of them are either too old or have become disenchanted. Most significantly, they have lost the support and trust of villagers, which had been crucial for Naxals to set up an empire based on fear and intimidation,” said a senior police official.Madvi Hidma, one of the dreaded Naxal leaders, who was killed last year in November in Andhra Pradesh in a police encounter, used to influence villagers, especially youngsters by arranging drama troupes and singing songs, which highlighted cruelties against villagers by landlords. Through this, they inducted several villagers into their fold, a senior official said.However, that narrative did not last long, especially in Chhattisgarh. As it is a tribal state, land owning was never an issue as tribals mostly own their lands, the officer said.With the Centre having launched a fierce offensive against Naxals, which resulted in the killing or surrender of around 15-odd central committee members of the CPI (Maoist) in the last two years, their movement and influence weakened considerably, the police official added.Home Minister Amit Shah had announced that by March 31, 2026, the country would be free from the Naxal menace.Weeks after the deadline ended, he had said in Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, that Naxalism was finished from the country.With almost all top Naxal leaders now gone, except for Misir Besra (who is reportedly hiding in the jungles of Jharkhand and has a bounty of Rs 1 crore on his head), the police officials say that their chances of regrouping were currently negligible.