Daijiworld Media Network - Raipur/Bijapur
Raipur/Bijapur, Jan 15: In a major milestone for Chhattisgarh’s anti-Maoist campaign, 52 cadres of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) surrendered to security forces in Bastar, signaling a significant step toward restoring peace in the region.
The surrender ceremony, themed “Poona Margem: Rehabilitation to Rejuvenation – A New Beginning of Peace and Trust,” highlighted the impact of the state government’s rehabilitation policies alongside development initiatives such as Niyad Nella Nar.
Among those who laid down arms were 21 women and 31 men, carrying combined bounties of Rs 1.41 crore. The group included cadres from prominent Maoist formations such as the South Sub-Zonal Bureau, Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, Andhra-Odisha Border Division, and Bhamragarh Area Committee.
Several high-profile members were part of the surrender, including Lakkhu Karam alias Anil and Lakshmi Madvi alias Ratna, both with bounties of Rs 8 lac, alongside other key operatives like Chinni Sodhi alias Shanti, Bhima Karam, Vishnu Mandavi alias Kiran alias Moti, and Moti Korsa, each carrying bounties between Rs 5 and 8 lac. The group also included ACMs, PPC members, militia commanders, and leaders of Janatana Sarkar.
Superintendent of Police Dr. Jitendra Kumar Yadav, presiding over the event with senior CRPF and police officials, called the surrender a “pivotal moment” in combating extremism. He emphasized that the cadres had recognised the futility of violence and were now opting for rehabilitation programs offering financial support, skill development, housing, and employment opportunities.
Bijapur has recorded growing success in counter-insurgency operations, with 824 cadres surrendering, 1,126 arrested, and 223 eliminated since January 2024. Statewide, over 2,000 Maoists have laid down arms under chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai’s leadership, aligning with the Union Home Ministry’s goal of eliminating Left-Wing Extremism by 2026.
Officials hope the latest surrender will inspire further defections, accelerating peace across Bastar. Similar mass surrenders in Dantewada and Sukma earlier this month reflect a weakening Maoist hold in the region.
One former cadre summed up the shift in sentiment: “We were misled by anti-people ideology; now, we seek a life of trust and development.”