Decoding Naxalbari: The Red belt in West Bengal turning saffron with time SECTIONS Last Updated: Apr 05, 2021, 03:03 PM IST Share Synopsis The pastoral village bordering Nepal had been the hotbed of the rebellion movement in the spring of 1967. The Naxalbari uprising was triggered when the police opened fire on a group of villagers who were demanding their right for the crops at a particular piece of land. The firing killed 11 villagers including two children eventually leading to the Naxalite-Maoist insurgency. BJP National President Amit Shah having lunch at a farmer's house during his Booth Sampark programme in Naxalbari, West Bengal. Nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, Naxalbari, the cradle of an over 50-year-old Maoist movement has been witnessing a transition from a Red belt into a saffron fabric.