Chhattisgarh: 25 Maoists including top SZCM surrender in Bijapur with collective bounties worth Rs 1.15 cr

RAIPUR: In a major blow to the CPI (Maoists), 25 hardcore cadres, including a top State Zonal Committee Member (SZCM) carrying a bounty of Rs 25 lakh, surrendered before senior police and paramilitary officials in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region on Thursday. The total bounty on the surrendered Maoists amounts to Rs 1.15 crore.The surrender was facilitated under the Chhattisgarh government’s revised surrender and rehabilitation policy and senior police officials briefing the press said that it marks a turning point in the state's sustained counter-insurgency efforts, particularly in deep forested zones like Bijapur, where new security camps and road infrastructure have begun reaching previously untouched areas.The highest-ranking surrender was Ramanna Irpa alias Jagdish alias Vikesh, a 37-year-old SZCM and commander-in-chief of Company number 8, who was active since 2002 and carried a Rs 25 lakh bounty. He was strategist behind multiple high-profile ambushes on security forces in Odisha and Chhattisgarh and his job was to oversee arms supply, jungle warfare training camps, and inter-state coordination. Police said that as per the records, he was active since 2002 and was considered the “nerve center” of CPI (Maoist) operations in Odisha’s southern corridor and had been operating in the ‘Red Triangle’ between Malkangiri, Sukma, and Bijapur.Another cadre Sukku Kalmu alias Vinod Karma on the rank of Divisional Committee Member (DVCM) operated in National Park Area Committee and led Maoist student fronts. He carried Rs 8 lakh bounty and was active since1999. He was known for radicalizing tribal youth through front organizations and leading armed protests. Played a key role in enforcing Maoist rule in the Abujhmarh forest belt.Police officials, including Bastar Range IG P Sundarraj, Dantewada DIG Kamalochan Kashyap, and Bijapur SP Jitendra Kumar Yadav, along with CRPF, CoBRA and DRG were present during the formal surrender. SP Yadav said, “This is a significant dent in the Maoist leadership hierarchy. The surrender of an SZCM shows the ideological and operational breakdown within the outfit.”In statements made during the debriefing, many Maoists cited internal dissent, exploitation within the outfit, and disillusionment with extremist ideology as major reasons for quitting. Several cadres mentioned their desire to “rejoin the mainstream” and live peaceful lives with their families. SP Jitendra Yadav urged remaining Maoist operatives to abandon violence and take advantage of the government's rehabilitation scheme. “The door to peaceful and dignified life is wide open. Your families want you back. Leave the false promises of outside elements behind,” he appealed.Since January 2025, Bijapur district has witnessed intensified anti-Maoist operations, resulting in significant setbacks for the insurgent network. Over this period, 242 Maoists have surrendered, choosing to join the mainstream under the state’s rehabilitation policy. In addition, 300 cadres have been arrested, and 127 Maoists have been killed in various encounters across the region.