RAIPUR: In a significant stride toward normalcy for the conflict-ridden Bastar region, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Saturday early morning flagged off the ‘Abujhmad Peace Half Marathon 2026’ in Narayanpur district, about 400 km south of Raipur.
The event was marked by the participation of around 10,000 runners, including former Maoist cadres.
CM took to the route to participate symbolically, a gesture aimed at boosting the morale of the participants.
The vast Abujhmaad — an unknowable (Abujh) hilly terrain (maad), in south Chhattisgarh’s edgy district of Narayanpur, was once the common address of senior leaders of the outlawed CPI (Maoist).
The 21-km race, stretching from Narayanpur to Basing, served as a platform for the state to showcase its shifting landscape of peace now returning in the region.
The poignant highlight was the participation of former Red rebels who once operated in these Abujhmaad forests. “We want to show our brothers still in the jungle that there is a life of dignity and peace waiting for them," said a participant who surrendered last year.
Alongside local tribal youths and 60 international athletes, the surrendered Naxalites ran to signal their reintegration into the mainstream.
"Today, Abujhmad region is sending a strong message of peace and harmony to the world. There was a time when even security forces found it difficult to reach here, but today, thousands have gathered without fear," CM Sai said.
He reaffirmed the ‘double-engine’ government’s commitment to making Chhattisgarh Maoist-free by March 31, 2026.
CM Sai noted that the enthusiasm of the youth is a clear indicator that the region is ready to embrace development and reject the "red terror" that has hindered progress for four decades.
Inspector General of police (Bastar Range) Pattilingam Sundarraj noted that the event effectively counters the region's old image.
"The presence of former cadres running alongside local Adivasis and international sprinters is a powerful visual of the changing ground reality in Narayanpur”, the IG opined.
The event concluded with a medal ceremony where winners across various categories were honoured.
The marathon followed a recent government push for infrastructure in the region, including the inauguration of development works worth ₹351 crore.