RAIPUR: Sixteen Maoists including two hardcore members of the PLGA battalion, surrendered in insurgency-hit Sukma district of Chhattisgarh on Monday. Among the surrendered, six Maoists carried a cumulative reward of Rs 25 lakh, with a woman and a young male cadre each having a bounty of Rs 8 lakh on their heads.
The surrender took place at the Sukma district police headquarters, in presence of Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan, Additional SP (Naxal Ops)
Umesh Prasad Gupta, and senior officers from the CRPF’s 218 and 226 battalions.
Among the surrendered, the significant ones include Rita alias Dodi Sukki, 36-year-old female cadre from the CRC Regional Company No. 2, carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh, Rahul Punem, an 18-year-old PLGA battalion cadre from Company 2, Platoon 2, also with a reward of Rs 8 lakh, Lekam Lakhma, a 28-year-old from the South Bastar Division, with a reward of Rs 3 lakh and three others—Sodi Chula, Telam Kosa, and Dodi Hurra—each carried a bounty of Rs 2 lakh.
The remaining 10 individuals held various support and militia roles within the
Maoist organization, including in village-level sangham units, militia wings, and area committees.
Officials attribute the mass surrender to the growing impact of the Chhattisgarh Naxal Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy 2025 and the state government's ‘Niyad Nellanar’ initiative aimed at integrating remote tribal populations into mainstream development.
Security sources revealed that continuous establishment of new police camps in deep interior areas and increasing pressure on Maoist networks have played a critical role in weakening insurgent morale. Besides, disillusionment with the Maoist ideology, internal discrimination, and atrocities against local tribal populations by outside cadres have further alienated the rank-and-file members.
Under the 2025 policy, each surrendered Naxal will receive a Rs 50,000 incentive along with additional support for rehabilitation, including livelihood opportunities and reintegration assistance.
The operation was made possible through close coordination between the District Police, Naxal Cell Intelligence Unit, Range Field Team (RFT) of Konta, and CRPF units. Senior officers acknowledged the crucial role played by ground-level intelligence and community engagement in encouraging the surrenders.
"We welcome them back into society and will ensure their complete rehabilitation,” said SP Kiran Chavan, underlining the government’s commitment to sustainable peace in the region.
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Rashmi is a Special Correspondent with The Times of India in Chha...
Read MoreRashmi is a Special Correspondent with The Times of India in Chhattisgarh. She covers Politics, Left Wing Extremism, Crime and Human Rights among other areas of news value.
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