Our Bureau
Narayanpur
Twenty-eight Maoist cadres, including 19 women and 22 carrying bounties totaling Rs 89 lakh, surrendered to police in Narayanpur district, Chhattisgarh, on Tuesday. The cadres, many of whom held significant ranks such as Divisional Committee and Area Committee members, cited government rehabilitation programs and development schemes as key reasons for laying down arms.
The group handed over weapons including a Self-Loading Rifle (SLR), an INSAS rifle, and a .303 rifle during their surrender ceremony. This event is part of a larger trend, with over 512 Maoist cadres in the Bastar range alone having surrendered in the last 50 days, and 287 in Narayanpur district this year. The ongoing surrenders signal a weakening hold of Maoist insurgency and increasing faith in peace and development among former cadres.
The surrendered Maoists were impressed by economic and social initiatives like the “Niyad Nellanar” village development scheme and the “Poona Margham” rehabilitation program launched by Bastar police, designed to facilitate reintegration into society. Senior officials including Inspector General of Police Sundarraj Pattilingam and Narayanpur Superintendent Robinson Guria said these programs are instrumental in encouraging militants to abandon violence. Rehabilitation efforts are supported by both the Chhattisgarh government and central authorities, working together to restore peace in the region.
Among the surrendered were four high-profile cadres with Rs 8 lakh bounties each, including a Divisional Committee member and East Bastar division military company members. Additionally, several Area Committee members carried Rs 5 lakh bounties. Police believe that remaining senior leaders have limited options but to follow suit and renounce insurgency. Over the past 23 months, approximately 2,200 Maoists, including top-level cadres, have surrendered in Chhattisgarh, marking a significant erosion of the Maoist presence in the region.
Officials termed the rehabilitation of the 28 cadres a landmark in the fight against Maoism, emphasizing that the anti-people ideology is nearing its end. The combined efforts of government, local administration, and security forces aim to promote lasting peace and inclusive development across Bastar. The surrenders highlight growing trust in legal and democratic frameworks as alternatives to violence in the troubled region.
