RAIPUR: In an operational and outreach breakthrough for security forces, six Maoists—carrying a collective bounty of ₹35 lakh—surrendered before the district police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Bijapur, south Bastar, on Monday, officials said.
Among the surrendered cadres, four operated in neighbouring Odisha, while two had fled the outlawed outfit’s West Bastar division. The group includes four Press Counter Measures / Platoon Party Committee Members (PPCM) and two Party Members (PM).
The surrendered operatives included three women and were identified as: Rani Sodhi alias Sandhya, Pando Podiyam alias Sasmita, Sukku Kudiyam alias Santosh, Kosa Madvi alias Satish, Deve Madkam alias Janni, and Lalu Tati.
According to senior police officials, the surrender was facilitated through coordinated efforts by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) Bijapur, the CRPF's 170th Battalion, and the local police.
The cadres chose to renounce violence due to sustained counter-insurgency operations, visible disarray and internal factionalism within Maoist ranks, and mounting disillusionment with the outfit's violent ideology.
They were also motivated by news reports highlighting the successful rehabilitation and skill development of former insurgents, as well as ongoing development initiatives in tribal areas under the Chhattisgarh government's Naxal Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy, officials added.
Under the state's rehabilitation framework, the former cadres will receive immediate financial assistance, skill training, housing support, and employment opportunities to help them reintegrate into mainstream society with dignity.
Continued guidance and assistance will be provided by the district administration and police throughout their rehabilitation process.