108 Maoists carrying Rs 3cr reward surrender in Bastar

Raipur: A group of 108 Maoist cadres linked to the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee and carrying a cumulative cash reward of Rs 3.29 crore surrendered in Bastar on Wednesday under Chhattisgarh's "Puna Margem - rehabilitation to rejuvenation" campaign, while security forces also recovered 101 weapons, Rs 3.61 crore in cash and 1 kg of gold worth about Rs 1.64 crore from Maoist dumps across the region.Officials said the surrender and recoveries dealt a blow to the insurgency's cadre base, weapons pipeline and finances. The cadres included 44 women and functionaries from several layers of the Maoist hierarchy, from five divisional committee members to area and platoon-level operatives. They laid down 101 weapons. Security officials said the latest surrender was significant with only 20 days left to meet the deadline of Mar 31 to eliminate Maoists from across the country. "This would encourage remaining armed cadres and those still hiding and elusive, to realize that there's no option left but to join mainstream life. Non-violence is non-negotiable. All Maoists will have to give up arms and return home for a safe life," said a security officer.The mass surrender was held at the Police Coordination Centre in Jagdalpur.The surrendering cadres were handed roses and a copy of the Indian Constitution and were welcomed by tribal community representatives. Officials said the gesture was meant to convey that they were welcome despite all odds and that their decision to surrender was appreciated.Bastar range inspector general of police P Sundarraj said intelligence generated from the surrendering cadres and follow-up operations led security forces to recover 101 weapons from Maoist dumps across Bastar, including AK-47s, INSAS rifles, SLRs, LMGs, .303 rifles and BGL launchers, directly hitting the armed capability of the DKSZC, which has long been seen as the backbone of Maoist operations in south Chhattisgarh.Along with the weapons, officials recovered Rs 3.61 crore in cash and 1 kg of gold worth about Rs 1.64 crore from Maoist dumps. Officials described it as the largest cash haul ever made from a single Naxal dump in the history of anti-Naxal operations in India.Among the prominent and senior cadres who surrendered were Rahul Telam, Pandru Kovasi and Jhitru Oyam from west Bastar, Ramdhar alias Biru from east Bastar, Mallesh from north Bastar, Muchaki of PLGA Battalion number 1, and Kosa Mandavi from the Andhra-Odisha border zone. IG Sundarraj said they represented the mid-level grid through which the Maoist movement recruits, mobilises and survives.Officials said the recoveries were spread across districts, with 49 weapons from Narayanpur, 24 from Bastar, 12 from Sukma, nine from Bijapur, five from Dantewada and two from Kanker."The twin track of security pressure plus rehabilitation outreach is beginning to hollow out the insurgency from within," officials said, adding that under the state's Naxal surrender, victim relief and rehabilitation policy, the surrendered cadres will be offered financial aid, skill development, housing, education and livelihood support.According to the latest police data, about 2,714 Maoist cadres left violence in Chhattisgarh in the last 26 months, including 2,625 in Bastar division alone between January 1, 2024 and March 9, 2026.For years, Bastar's conflict was measured in encounters, ambushes and body counts, but now a different metric may start gaining ground, said a CRPF officer.Bastar IG P Sundarraj appealed to the remaining cadres to abandon violence and return to the mainstream, saying the govt was committed to ensuring them security, rehabilitation and a dignified future.