Surrendered Sukma Women Leave Naxal Past Behind, Walk Ramp In Raipur

Nine women former Naxalites from Sukma district in Chhattisgarh took part in a fashion show in Raipur, marking a striking transition from their previous lives in the insurgency to a new phase focused on rehabilitation and reintegration. The women, who recently surrendered, walked the ramp during an event organised as part of National Handloom Day celebrations. The participants once operated in the forests of Bastar with weapons, including INSAS rifles, according to officials. Some of the women had served in roles within the armed insurgency, with officials saying some had worked as gunners. Their participation in a public cultural event represented a markedly different setting from the environment in which they had previously lived and operated.

Dressed in traditional heirloom sarees featuring indigenous prints, the women appeared on the ramp wearing silver waist belts, jhumkas and boots. The fashion show was organised as part of efforts to provide surrendered Naxalites with opportunities to develop new skills, participate in community activities and pursue livelihoods away from the insurgency. The event also sought to promote traditional handloom products and the use of locally produced goods. According to Sukma Superintendent of Police Mayank Gurjar, the women helped spread awareness about Swadeshi products during the programme. Their participation allowed them to contribute to an event that combined cultural promotion with the broader objective of rehabilitation.

The women's appearance at the fashion show forms part of wider efforts to reintegrate former Naxalites into mainstream society. Rehabilitation programmes seek to help surrendered cadres transition to civilian life by providing opportunities for employment, vocational activities and social participation. For the women themselves, the event offered an opportunity to appear in public in a role far removed from their earlier association with armed activity. Instead of carrying weapons through the forests of Bastar, they presented traditional clothing and promoted indigenous products before an audience in the state capital.

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Sukma, located in the Bastar region, has historically been one of the areas most affected by Left-Wing Extremism in Chhattisgarh. Security operations and government initiatives in the region have increasingly been accompanied by surrender and rehabilitation programmes aimed at encouraging insurgents to abandon armed groups. Officials have emphasised rehabilitation as an important component of efforts to address the conflict. Providing surrendered cadres with opportunities to build alternative careers and participate in social and economic activities can help them establish a sustainable life outside the insurgency.

The participation of the nine women in the National Handloom Day programme offered a visible example of that transition. Their choice of traditional sarees and jewellery for the fashion show also connected their rehabilitation with the promotion of local cultural and handloom traditions. From moving through Bastar's forests with firearms to walking a ramp in Raipur, the women's participation highlighted the dramatic change in their circumstances following their surrender. The event was not only a fashion showcase but also an illustration of the rehabilitation process and the possibilities available to former Naxalites seeking to begin a new chapter in civilian life.

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