Sixteen Naxalites, including nine with declared cash rewards totalling ₹48 lakh, surrendered to police authorities in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district on Wednesday. The group, comprising seven women, laid down arms before senior police leadership, citing disillusionment with the Maoist movement and growing dissatisfaction over atrocities committed against innocent tribal villagers. 

The surrender was facilitated amid sustained security force operations and outreach efforts in the Bastar region.

According to Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Robinson Guria, the cadres decided to abandon the banned CPI (Maoist) outfit due to the "hollow" and "inhuman" nature of its ideology, compounded by mounting security force pressure in the insurgency-hit areas.

The group alleged that Maoist leaders routinely oppressed and exploited tribals under the guise of protecting their rights, thereby betraying the stated goals of equality and justice.

Among the notable surrendered were Podiya Markam alias Ratan (34), a deputy commander of the Maoists’ military platoon no. 1; Manoj Dugga alias (35); Sumitra alias Sunny Kursam (35); Vanila Farsa (35), all members of military companies; and Gawade alias Diwakar (45), a divisional committee member. Each of these five individuals carried a bounty of ₹8 lakh.

Other high-value cadres included Budhu alias Kamlesh Usendi (32), an area committee member carrying a Rs 5 lakh reward; and three party members — Madda Kunjam (21), Ravi alias Gopal Vadde (23), and Kare Korram (23) — each with a ₹1 lakh bounty. The remaining six members of the group were identified as lower-rung operatives with no declared rewards.

The surrendered Maoists revealed during preliminary questioning that senior Maoist leaders were the primary adversaries of tribal communities. They accused these leaders of making false promises regarding the safeguarding of water, forest, and land resources while, in reality, using the revolutionary façade to control, exploit, and enslave the local population.

Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj P described the surrenders as tangible evidence of changing attitudes in Bastar, noting that more militants were rejecting the culture of violence to embrace the path of peace, education, and development. He emphasized that such actions signal a shift in the conflict narrative and a step towards building lasting trust and stability in the region.

The IGP credited the sustained security operations, increasing public cooperation, and the rehabilitative benefits extended to former Maoists under government policy as the driving forces behind the trend. The Bastar Range — which covers seven districts, including Narayanpur — has witnessed a total of 1,837 Maoists surrender in the past 20 months, underscoring the growing momentum to reintegrate insurgents into mainstream society.

Based On ANI Report