SUKMA: Four Naxalites, including two women, carrying cumulative rewards of Rs 8 lakh, surrendered along with their weapons in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Friday, a senior police official said.
The cadres, who belonged to the Kistaram area committee of the south Bastar division of Maoists, turned themselves in here under the state's 'Poona Margem (from rehabilitation to social reintegration) initiative, Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj P said.
The Naxalites told the police that they were impressed by the state government's surrender and rehabilitation policy, he said. Of the surrendered cadres, Sodhi Joga, an area committee member, carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh.
The others, Dabar Ganga, alias Madkam Ganga, Sodhi Raje, and Madvi Budhari, carried a bounty of Rs 1 lakh each, he said.
They also handed over one Insas rifle, a Single Loading Rifle (SLR), one .303 rifle and a .315 rifle, and ammunition, he said, adding that police from Sukma district and Alluri Sitarama Raju district (Andhra Pradesh) played a key role in their surrender.
The newly established security camps in the Kistaram and Golapalli areas of Sukma, improved road connectivity, and the success of continuous and effective anti-Naxal operations have resulted in frequent surrender of cadres in the region, he said.
These security camps have helped curb Maoist activities, and their area of free movement has been significantly reduced, he said.
The surrendered cadres will be provided with rehabilitation, financial assistance, and other facilities as per government policy, he added.
Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan appealed to all the remaining Maoist cadres active in the area to give up violence, assuring them that the government would provide them security and a dignified life.
With this surrender, over 200 Naxalites have laid down arms so far this year in the state.
On January 15, as many as 52 Naxalites surrendered in neighbouring Bijapur district.
More than 1,500 Naxalites joined the mainstream in the state in 2025.
The Centre has resolved to eliminate Naxalism from the country by March 31 this year.