In a significant blow to the Maoist insurgency in Chhattisgarh, 71 Naxalites, including 30 with a collective bounty of Rs 64 lakh, surrendered to authorities in Dantewada district on Wednesday. The group, which included 21 women and three minors—a 17-year-old boy and two girls aged 16 and 17—cited disillusionment with the "hollow" Maoist ideology as their reason for laying down arms, according to Dantewada Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai.

The surrender took place before senior police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officials, marking a milestone in the ongoing efforts to curb Naxal violence in the region. The surrendered cadres expressed admiration for the Bastar Range police’s rehabilitation initiatives, ‘Lon Varratu’ (a Gondi term meaning "return to your home/village") and ‘Poona Margem’, as well as the state government’s new surrender and rehabilitation policy. These programs have been instrumental in encouraging Naxalites to abandon violence and reintegrate into society.

Among the surrendered, key figures included Baman Madkam (30) and Manki, alias Samila Mandavi (20), each carrying a bounty of Rs 8 lakh, and Shamila alias Somli Kawasi (25), Gangi alias Rohni Barse (25), Deve alias Kavita Madvi (25), and Santosh Mandavi (30), each with a Rs 5 lakh reward. Additionally, one Naxalite had a Rs 3 lakh bounty, six carried Rs 2 lakh each, nine had Rs 1 lakh each, and eight had Rs 50,000 each. Police reports indicate that Baman, Shamila, Gangi, and Deve were involved in multiple attacks on security forces, while others participated in activities such as road sabotage, tree felling, and spreading Naxalite propaganda through banners and pamphlets.

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The ‘Lon Varratu’ campaign, launched in June 2020, has now seen 1,113 Naxalites, including 297 with bounties, surrender in Dantewada alone. Each of the 71 individuals received immediate financial assistance of Rs 50,000 and will be rehabilitated under the state’s policy, which aims to provide sustainable livelihoods and support for former insurgents.

This mass surrender comes on the heels of a major setback for the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist). On Monday, two senior Maoist leaders, Raju Dada alias Katta Ramachandra Reddy (63) and Kosa Dada alias Kadari Satyanarayana Reddy (67), both Central Committee members with bounties of Rs 1.80 crore each, were killed in an encounter in Narayanpur district’s Abujhmad region. Their deaths have further weakened the Maoist network, which has been struggling to maintain its influence in Chhattisgarh.

Police officials view the surrender as a sign of the diminishing appeal of Maoist ideology and the success of rehabilitation efforts. “The combination of security operations and rehabilitation programs is breaking the backbone of Naxalism in the region,” a senior official said. The state government remains committed to restoring peace in Naxal-affected areas, with ongoing efforts to strengthen infrastructure, provide employment, and ensure safety for residents in these conflict zones.

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