Chhattisgarh: In a major blow to left wing terrorism, 66 Naxalites carrying rewards worth crores surrender before security forces
In a major success during the ongoing anti-Naxal operation of the central government, 66 Naxalites, including 49 carrying a cumulative bounty worth ₹2.27 crore, surrendered in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh on Thursday (24th July). The Naxals, including senior operatives and women, surrendered across the five districts of Bijapur, Dantewada, Narayanpur, Kanker, and Sukma. Many of them were reportedly involved in high-profile attacks, extortion networks, ambushes against security personnel and arms training camps.
As per reports, 25 Maoist cadres surrendered in Bijapur, 23 out of whom had a bounty of ₹1.15 crore, 15 in Dantewada with a cumulative bounty of ₹17 lakh, 13 in Kanker with a total bounty of ₹ 62 lakh, 8 in Narayanpur with a bounty of ₹33 lakh and 5 in Sukma. Among the entire group of Naxals who surrendered, 27 are women.
Out of the 13 Naxals who surrendered in Kanker, 5 were women. There was a company commander among them, who handled tactical operations and logistics in the North Bastar zone. The rest were involved in extortion from villages and attacks on road-opening parties.
Among the Naxals who surrendered are Ramanna Irpa (37), a member of the Maoists’ Odisha state and special zonal committee, his wife Rame Kalmu (30), a platoon party committee member (PPCM), Sukku Kalmu (38), Bablu Madvi (30), Kosi Madkam (28) and Reena Vanjam (28). Budhram alias Lalu Kuhram, a divisional committee member, his wife Kamli alias Moti Potawi, and Vatti Ganga alias Mukesh (44), the Maoists’ north bureau technical team in charge, are also among the surrendered Naxals.
Naxals who surrender receive state’s assistance for rehabilitation
The Naxals laid down their weapons before the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and police personnel. According to reports, an official revealed that the Naxals cited their disappointment with the hollow Maoist ideology, atrocities committed by Naxalites on innocent tribals, and growing internal differences within the Maoist cadre. They also said that they were impressed by the village development schemes of the state government.
“They also claimed to be impressed by ‘Niyad Nellanar’ (your good village) scheme of the state government, aimed at facilitating development works in remote villages, new surrender and rehabilitation policy of the state government and Poona Margham (Rehabilitation for Social Reintegration), a rehabilitation initiative launched by Bastar Range police,” the official was quoted as saying by the New Indian Express.
The surrendered Maoist cadres will be provided a financial assistance of ₹50,000 each and will be rehabilitated under the state’s surrender and reintegration policy. Since the launch of the ‘Lon Varratu’ (Return to Your Village) campaign in 2020, 1020 Naxals, including 254 carrying bounties, have surrendered in Dantewada. Since 2023, more than 1,400 Naxals have surrendered under Poona Margham.
“This surrender wave clearly shows that the ideological grip of the Maoist movement is weakening. Their senior cadres are disillusioned with the hollow promises of the outfit. Poona Margham has emerged as a credible path for reintegration and peace,” P Sundarraj, Inspector General (Bastar Range), told India Today.
The central government’s ongoing operation to end Naxalism
Since assuming power in 2014, the Modi government has adopted a policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism and Naxalism in the country. In 2015, the government launched the National Policy and Action Plan, which involves a multi-pronged strategy including aggressive military operations to eliminate Naxal terrorism as well as development efforts to integrate the Left-wing extremism (LWE) affected areas and people into the mainstream. The central government has vowed to eliminate Naxalism from the country by March 2026.
In January 2024, the Modi government launched Operation Kagar in the left-wing terrorism-affected areas to eradicate the Maoist terror. The operation entered its last phase this year. Under the operation, around 1 lakh para-military troops, including the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), its elite CoBRA units, District Reserve Guards DRG), and state police, equipped with modern technology, have been deployed in the left-wing terrorism affected areas to completely uproot the naxal terrorism from its last remaining strongholds. Since the start of the operation, the security forces have eliminated over 400 Naxal terrorists so far, while more than 800 Maoists have surrendered.
In a major breakthrough, the security forces neutralised the elusive Maoist commander Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju along with 26 Naxals in May 2025, in a fierce gun battle in Abujhmad area of the Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh.
The collaborative efforts of the central government and the security forces have been fruitful, as the number of Naxal-affected districts has significantly reduced over the past 10 years and more than 8,000 Naxals have surrendered.
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