In Chhattisgarh's Bastar division, 51 Naxalites carrying a collective bounty of ₹1.61 crore surrendered before police in Bijapur and Sukma districts on Saturday. This development comes as the March 31, 2026, deadline to eradicate Naxalism approaches, with around 300 surrenders recorded across the state this year.

The surrenders aligned with key events, including President Droupadi Murmu inaugurating the Bastar Pandum 2026 festival in Jagdalpur and Union Home Minister Amit Shah's three-day visit to Raipur. Among the cadres, 34 were women, highlighting a significant gender dimension to the reintegration efforts.

Inspector General of Police for Bastar Range, Sundarraj Pattilingam, detailed that 30 cadres, including 20 women, laid down arms in Bijapur under the "Poona Margem" rehabilitation initiative. These included members from the Maoists' south sub-zonal bureau, such as Boti Podiyam alias Malla, Sukhram Madkam, and Reena Punem, each with an Rs 8 lakh bounty.

In Bijapur, the group's combined reward totalled Rs 85 lakh, with five cadres at Rs 5 lakh each, 14 at Rs 2 lakh, and eight at Rs 1 lakh. Meanwhile, 21 cadres from Sukma, including those from Darbha, south Bastar, and Odisha's KKBN divisions, also surrendered before senior police and CRPF officers.

Key figures in Sukma included Sodhi Mahesh, Podiyam Raju, and Karam Mamta, each carrying an Rs 8 lakh reward. The group deposited substantial weaponry: three AK-47 rifles with eight magazines, two self-loading rifles, one Insas rifle, five single-shot guns, three barrel grenade launchers with 20 rounds, ten gelatin sticks, and 20 non-electric detonators.

The Naxalites cited the state government's surrender and rehabilitation policy as a key influence. Each received immediate assistance of ₹50,000, with further rehabilitation promised under official guidelines.

Pattilingam attributed the success to the state's anti-Naxal strategy, security camp expansions in remote areas, improved road networks, ongoing operations, and development schemes reaching isolated regions. He urged remaining cadres to abandon violence, emphasising that the "Poona Margem" campaign offers peace and dignity.

This follows 52 surrenders in Bijapur on January 15 and over 1,500 across Chhattisgarh in 2025. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai hailed it as progress towards peace in Bastar, crediting infrastructure growth in roads, education, healthcare, and amenities over two years.

Sai underscored the government's focus on security, trust-building, rehabilitation, skills training, and self-reliance for the surrendered individuals. Bastar, he noted, is shifting from violence to development and opportunity.

Based On PTI Report