Raipur, July 10: Twelve Maoists, including nine carrying a collective bounty of ₹28.50 lakh, surrendered to authorities in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district on Wednesday, police said, marking a significant milestone in the state’s ongoing anti-insurgency efforts.
The group, which included two women, turned themselves in before senior police officials and personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Many cited growing disillusionment with Maoist ideology, internal conflicts within the outlawed group, and the difficulties of forest life as reasons for abandoning the insurgency.
“They were also influenced by the ‘Lon Varratu’ campaign and the state government’s new surrender and rehabilitation policy,” said Gaurav Rai, Superintendent of Police, Dantewada. ‘Lon Varratu’, a Gondi term meaning “return to your home,” was launched in June 2020 to encourage Maoist cadres to join the mainstream.
With this latest development, the total number of Maoists who have surrendered under the campaign in Dantewada has reached 1,005, including 249 with cash rewards on their heads.
Among those who surrendered were Chandranna alias Bursu Punem, 52, a divisional committee member from the West Bastar division, and Amit alias Hinga Barsa, 26, holding the same rank in the Gadchiroli division. Both men carried a reward of ₹8 lakh each and were involved in multiple attacks on security forces, police said.
Other key cadres included Aruna Lekam, 25, an area committee member with a ₹5 lakh reward, and Deva Kawasi, 22, a section commander carrying a ₹3 lakh bounty. Additional surrendering members had rewards ranging from ₹2 lakh to ₹50,000.
The surrendered Maoists are originally from Dantewada, Sukma, Bijapur, and Narayanpur districts, all part of the insurgency-hit Bastar region. In 2024, a total of 792 Maoists surrendered in the Bastar region, which spans seven districts including Dantewada, according to police records.
“This achievement reflects the far-sighted policies of the government, continuous action by security forces, and the trust of local communities,” Rai said, adding that the initiative aims to bring back youth drawn into the movement through what he called the “hollow ideology of Maoism.”
