In a major setback to Maoist activity in Chhattisgarh, 37 members of the CPI (Maoist) surrendered to the police in Dantewada district of South Bastar. The surrender took place before Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai.
Police officials confirmed that 27 of the individuals are active Maoist cadres, several of whom were wanted in multiple cases and carried cash rewards totalling Rs 65 lakh. The remaining 10 members are part of the Maoist militia network. All those who surrendered declared support for government policies and chose to exit armed insurgency.
Among the surrendered individuals are 12 women. As per the state government’s rehabilitation policy, each will receive Rs 50,000 as immediate financial assistance.
The Dantewada Police stated that Maoist influence in South Bastar has been gradually weakening, and the mass surrender marks further progress in restoring normalcy. According to the police, the surrendered militia members had participated in major incidents in recent years, including attacks on police personnel, planting of IEDs, and tracking security force movement across Gompad, Jangampal and Gudrum. The attacks reportedly include those carried out in 2019 and 2020.
Officials attributed the surrender to a combination of development-focused government programmes and consistent anti-Maoist operations by security forces. They described the development as a key milestone in efforts to establish lasting peace in South Bastar. Security personnel expressed confidence that more Maoist members are likely to surrender in the coming period.