Chaibasa, Aug 11: Four wanted Maoists, including zonal committee member Saluka Kayam carrying a bounty of ₹10 lakh, surrendered before senior Jharkhand Police and CRPF officers in Chaibasa on Tuesday, officials said.
The cadres surrendered under Operation Navjeevan-III and handed over weapons, ammunition and communication equipment to the security forces, Kolhan DIG Anuranjan Kispotta said.
Kayam, also known by the aliases Bhuvneshwar and Vikram, was wanted in 96 criminal cases, including 90 registered in West Singhbhum district and six in neighbouring Seraikela-Kharsawan, police said.
He surrendered with an AK-47 rifle, two magazines and 843 rounds of ammunition, officials said.
The other three cadres were Kodamuni Koda, carrying a bounty of ₹1 lakh and wanted in seven cases, Kayam’s wife Pinky Purti, wanted in 13 cases, and Anita Tamsoy, against whom 14 cases are registered — 13 in West Singhbhum and one in Seraikela-Kharsawan.
Koda surrendered a wireless communication set and 697 rounds of ammunition, while Purti handed over another wireless set and 639 rounds. Tamsoy surrendered an INSAS rifle, five magazines and 97 rounds, police said.
Sources had earlier claimed that Kayam surrendered along with two Maoists on August 7, though police officials did not comment on the claim.
Kispotta attributed the increasing number of surrenders to growing dissatisfaction among Maoist cadres and intensified security operations in the region.
“The establishment of new security camps in remote areas of Saranda and Porahat has increased pressure on the rebels and restricted their movement,” he said.
The DIG also credited the government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy with encouraging Maoist cadres to return to the mainstream.
Police data showed that 49 Maoists surrendered in West Singhbhum between 2025 and July 2026, while 22 were killed in encounters and 60 arrested during the same period.
“Only around six Maoists, led by senior operative Asim Mandal who carries a bounty of Rs 1 crore, remain active in the area,” Kispotta said.
The latest surrenders come amid intensified security operations and efforts to establish a security presence in remote Maoist-affected areas of West Singhbhum.
