More Surrenders! 22 Naxalites, Including Four with Rs 26 Lakh Bounty Lay Down Arms
22 Naxalites, Including Four with Rs 26 Lakh Bounty, Surrender in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur
In a significant blow to the Maoist insurgency, 22 Naxalites, including four with a collective bounty of Rs 26 lakh, surrendered to security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on Tuesday. The surrender follows closely on the heels of 26 Naxalites laying down arms in neighboring Dantewada district just a day prior, signaling a growing disillusionment within the outlawed CPI (Maoist) ranks.
The group, which included six women, turned themselves in before senior police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officials. Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Yadav attributed their decision to frustration with the “hollow” and “inhuman” Maoist ideology, internal rifts, and the positive impact of the state government’s ‘Niyad Nellanar’ scheme. This initiative has brought development and basic amenities to remote villages near security camps, swaying cadres to abandon violence.
Among the surrendered, Kamli Hemla (32) and Muya Madvi (19), linked to the PLGA battalion no. 1 and Telangana state committee respectively, each carried an Rs 8 lakh reward. Sonu Tati (28), a press team commander in the west Bastar division, and Mahesh Punem, a PLGA member in Bhairamgarh, were wanted with Rs 5 lakh bounties each.
Yadav highlighted that 179 Naxalites have surrendered in Bijapur this year, alongside 83 killed and 172 arrested in separate incidents. Each of Tuesday’s surrendered cadres received Rs 50,000 and will be rehabilitated under government policy. In 2024, the Bastar region, including Bijapur and Dantewada, saw 792 Naxalites surrender, reflecting a sustained push against insurgency in Chhattisgarh.
