Daijiworld Media Network - Raipur
Raipur, Mar 30: In a major breakthrough ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, 50 Maoists have surrendered, marking a significant success for the ongoing anti-Naxal operations and the ‘Lon Varratu’ (Come Back Home) campaign led by Central and state authorities.
This development reinforces the nationwide crackdown on Maoist insurgency, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah reaffirming the government's commitment to making India Naxal-free by next year.
Prime Minister Modi is set to address a massive public gathering in Bilaspur on Sunday, where he will inaugurate and lay foundation stones for key projects worth Rs 33,700 crore, spanning energy, transportation, education, and housing sectors.
The surrendering Maoists, who collectively carried a bounty of Rs 68 lakh, formally laid down arms at the Bijapur Superintendent of Police (SP) office in the presence of senior officials, including the Deputy Inspector General of Police and representatives from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
Authorities revealed that many of these individuals were previously engaged in acts of road sabotage, Maoist propaganda dissemination, and reconnaissance missions for their leaders in Bijapur and neighboring areas.
The Lon Varratu initiative, spearheaded by senior police officers and bolstered by the Chhattisgarh government’s Rehabilitation Policy, continues to play a crucial role in reintegrating former Maoists into mainstream society. By encouraging insurgents to abandon violence, the initiative aims to restore peace and improve the lives of tribal communities affected by decades of unrest.
This latest surrender follows a similar development on March 29, when 15 Maoists in Dantewada district chose to integrate into civilian life. The campaign has been extensively promoted in villages through the efforts of the District Police Force and CRPF, motivating numerous insurgents, including high-profile Maoist leaders, to give up arms.
Those who surrender under this initiative benefit from Chhattisgarh’s comprehensive rehabilitation measures, including Rs 25,000 in financial aid, skill development training, agricultural land, and additional support systems.
The newly introduced ‘Naxal Surrender/Victim Relief and Rehabilitation Policy-2025’ further enhances these benefits, offering increased financial compensation, employment opportunities, land allotment, and free education for victims of Maoist violence. Additionally, surrendered Maoists receive incentives for weapon handovers and legal assistance.
Since its inception, the Lon Varratu campaign has facilitated the surrender of 927 Maoists, including 221 with significant bounties. This underscores the initiative’s effectiveness in fostering stability while providing former insurgents with a pathway to rebuild their lives.
The Intelligence Branch (RFT) Dantewada, along with the 111th, 195th, 230th, and 231st CRPF Battalions, played a pivotal role in these successful surrenders.
Meanwhile, security forces have intensified counter-Maoist operations in the region. On March 29, 17 Maoists were neutralized, with 16 bodies recovered in combat encounters.
Earlier, on March 25, security forces eliminated three Maoists in a fierce gun battle near the Dantewada-Bijapur border along the Indravati River. Just days before that, on March 21, another operation resulted in the deaths of 30 Maoists in two separate encounters—26 near the Dantewada-Bijapur border and four in Kanker.
Despite these successes, the security forces have also suffered casualties. A brave soldier from the District Reserve Guard lost his life, while two others, including a deputy superintendent of police, sustained severe injuries. Both injured personnel are now stable and recovering.
In a separate incident, Maoists detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) in Bijapur district, narrowly missing a security convoy. While the vehicle escaped the direct blast, two jawans and a civilian driver sustained minor injuries from the impact.
These operations are part of a broader strategy to dismantle Maoist influence in Chhattisgarh. On March 28, security forces apprehended five Maoists, including two women, in the Geedam police station area of South Bastar Dantewada district. Intelligence reports indicated they were planning to plant IEDs targeting security personnel.
In a significant breakthrough, security forces neutralized a top Maoist leader, Jagdish alias Budhra, in an early-morning operation on March 29 along the Sukma-Dantewada border. Jagdish was a key figure involved in the deadly 2013 Jhiram IED blast that killed prominent Chhattisgarh leaders, including Mahendra Karma, Vidya Charan Shukla, and Nand Kumar Patel. His elimination marks a major blow to Maoist operations in the region.
During the operation, 17 Maoists were killed, including 11 women, with Jagdish being the primary target. This mission was a joint effort by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the CRPF, carried out in Upampalli under the Keralapal police station jurisdiction.
Just days earlier, on March 25, security forces had eliminated another high-ranking Maoist, Sudhir alias Sudhakar, who had a bounty of Rs 25 lakh on his head. Officials have described his neutralization as a crucial step in dismantling Maoist leadership structures.
In 2025 alone, security forces have executed 11 successful operations, neutralizing 142 Maoists. Among the notable missions, 31 Maoists were eliminated on February 9, followed by 16 on March 25. The districts of Bastar, Dantewada, Bijapur, and Narayanpur have witnessed some of the most intensive anti-Maoist actions this year.
In Bastar alone, 100 Maoists have been neutralized, with 49 being eliminated between March 20 and March 29. These well-coordinated efforts reflect the determination of security forces to curb extremism and restore peace in the region.