Deadline day sees dozens of Maoists lay down arms

Dozens of Maoist cadres surrendered across Bastar in Chhattisgarh and Gadchiroli in Maharashtra on the final day of Union home minister Amit Shah’s March 31 deadline to end left-wing extremism, while Odisha declared itself free of Naxalite influence and scrapped its surrender and rehabilitation policy for those who failed to lay down arms on Tuesday.

In Gadchiroli, for long one of the worst affected by Maoist violence, officials described the surrender of nine from Chhattisgarh as significant due to their role in operations spanning both states. Verification will precede rehabilitation benefits, including financial aid and skill training. The Centre has already reclassified Gadchiroli and Gondia in Maharashtra from Maoist-affected districts to “legacy and thrust” category — the final stage before full normalisation.

Officials said coordinated strategy combining sustained security operations and incentives had weakened insurgent morale and encouraged surrenders.

Odisha police said CPI(Maoist) had collapsed in the state with no fresh recruitment. Nine districts that once reported Maoist presence have now been cleared, leaving only a small patch in Kandhamal with limited activity. Forces remain on alert to prevent a resurgence.

With this, only Bijapur in Chhattisgarh and West Singhbhum in Jharkhand remain categorised as Maoist-affected districts across the country. On Tuesday, at least 35 insurgents surrendered across five Bastar districts — 25 in Bijapur, five in Dantewada, two each in Sukma and Kanker, and one in Narayanpur — as security forces tightened pressure on Maoist networks. Nine more Maoists crossed the Indravati river from Chhattisgarh forests into Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli and surrendered with weapons and explosives.

Security forces found 93 weapons, over 7kg of gold and Rs 2.9 crore cash from Maoist dumps in Bijapur alone, with the total haul valued at more than Rs 14 crore. In Dantewada, five cadres linked to the Dandakaranya special zonal committee surrendered. Police said intelligence provided by them led to the seizure of 40 weapons, including SLR and Insas rifles. SP Gaurav Rai said the surrender of “last five active Maoists” had rendered the district Naxal-free.

29 Naxal cadres give up arms in 3 Chhattisgarh districts

Bijapur police reported the surrender of 25 cadres, including members of area committees, alongside confiscation of weapons such as AK-47s. In Sukma, two women carrying rewards of Rs 8 lakh each surrendered. Forces seized Rs 10 lakh cash and rifles. SP Kiran Chavan said the district’s Maoist network had been “nearly dismantled”.

Kanker saw two surrenders with an AK-47 rifle. SP Nikhil Rakhecha said 11 cadres had returned to mainstream in six days, though about 14 Maoists, including divisional committee-level members Chander and Rupi, were still active.

Around nine lower-rung cadres are believed to be active in Kandhamal forests. “They may either be neutralised or arrested,” ADG (anti-Naxal operations) Sanjeeb Panda added.




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