Dantewada, Chhattisgarh : In a significant blow to the Maoist insurgency in Chhattisgarh, 71 Naxalites, including 30 carrying a combined bounty of Rs 64 lakh, surrendered before the police and CRPF officials in Dantewada, authorities confirmed on Wednesday.
Among those who laid down arms were 21 women, and three minors — including a 17-year-old boy and two girls aged 16 and 17 — highlighting the wide range of demographics involved in the Maoist ranks.
According to Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai, the mass surrender is the result of intensified efforts under the state government’s ‘Lon Varratu’ and ‘Poona Margem’ rehabilitation campaigns. These initiatives aim to encourage Naxalites to abandon violence and reintegrate into society.
“The surrendered cadres expressed deep disappointment with the hollow ideology of Maoism and showed willingness to return to the mainstream,” said SP Gaurav Rai.
High-Profile Surrenders
Among the surrendered were several high-profile Naxalites, including:
Baman Madkam (30) and Manki alias Samila Mandavi (20) – each carried a bounty of Rs 8 lakh
Shamila alias Somli Kawasi (25), Gangi alias Rohni Barse, and Santosh Mandavi (30) – each carried a Rs 5 lakh reward
Others carried bounties ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 3 lakh
Many of these individuals were reportedly involved in attacks on security forces, sabotage of infrastructure (such as road destruction and tree felling), and propaganda activities like putting up Maoist banners and posters.
Lon Varratu Campaign Making Impact
The ‘Lon Varratu’ campaign — meaning “Return to Your Home” in the local Gondi dialect — was launched in June 2020 and has since led to the surrender of 1,113 Naxalites, including 297 reward-carrying insurgents, in Dantewada district alone.
Under the policy, each surrendered Naxalite received Rs 50,000 as immediate assistance and will be further rehabilitated as per government guidelines.
Recent Maoist Deaths Add Pressure
The latest surrenders come on the heels of a major blow to the CPI (Maoist), with two senior central committee members killed in an encounter in Narayanpur district on Monday.
The slain leaders:
Raju Dada alias Katta Ramachandra Reddy (63)
Kosa Dada alias Kadari Satyanarayana Reddy (67)
Both carried a bounty of Rs 1.80 crore each and were instrumental in overseeing key organisational and military operations of the banned outfit in central India. Their deaths, police say, have significantly weakened the Maoist command structure.
Looking Ahead
Authorities believe that continued pressure from security forces, combined with robust rehabilitation policies, are pushing more Maoists to abandon the decades-old insurgency.
“We are seeing a clear shift. Naxalites are increasingly losing faith in the leadership and ideology. Many are choosing life and dignity over violence,” said a senior police official.
With ongoing operations in Maoist-affected areas and growing distrust within the ranks of the CPI (Maoist), officials are hopeful that more surrenders will follow in the coming months.
