Bijapur: In a major success for the security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar, as many as 50 Maoists have surrendered before the police in Bijapur district on March 30, officials said. Those surrendered before the officials were carrying a cumulative reward of Rs 68 lakhs.
“Our efforts against naxalism (Maoism) in naxal areas will continue. Its consequence is either surrender, arrest or neutralization,” said Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Yadav.
#WATCH | Bijapur, Chhattisgarh | In a big success against naxalism, 50 naxals, with a bounty of about 68 lakhs, surrendered in front of Bijapur police.
Our efforts against naxalism in naxal areas will continue. Its consequence is either surrender, arrest or neutralization:… pic.twitter.com/98I55q108V
— ANI (@ANI) March 30, 2025
Hailing the development, Union Home Minister Amit Shah in a post on social media platform X said “It’s a matter of joy that 50 Naxalities have surrendered in Bijapur by abandoning the path of violence. I welcome those who leave the path of violence and weapons by joining the mainstream of development.”
He added that the policy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is clear that any Naxalite who will adopts the path of development by abandoning arms will be rehabilitated and integrated into mainstream. The Home Minister also made an appeal to the rest of the Maoists to give up arms and join the mainstream while affirming that Naxalism will be eradicated from the country before March 2026.
बहुत हर्ष का विषय है कि बीजापुर (छत्तीसगढ़) में 50 नक्सलियों ने हिंसा का रास्ता छोड़कर आत्मसमर्पण किया। हिंसा और हथियार छोड़कर विकास की मुख्यधारा में शामिल होने वालों का मैं स्वागत करता हूँ। मोदी जी की नीति स्पष्ट है कि जो भी नक्सली हथियार छोड़कर विकास का मार्ग अपनाएँगे, उनका…
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 30, 2025
Notably, the development has arrived on the heels of security forces neutralising 18 Maoists in twin encounters with the extremists in Bijapur and Sukma districts on Saturday.
In the gun battle that occurred under the jurisdiction of Sukma’s Kerlapal police station, 17 cadres of the banned group were killed. One of the Maoists gunned down in the encounter was later identified as Kuhdami Jagdish, a dreaded member of the group, carrying a reward of Rs 25 lakhs on his head.
“The operation was launched by a joint team of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and District Reserve Guard (DRG) after receiving inputs about presence of Maoists in the forest areas under the Keralapal police station limits on Friday night. After the gunfight bodies of 17 Maoists including 11 women cadres were recovered from the spot. Three personnel of DRG and a jawan of CRPF also suffered minor injuries in the attack,” said Inspector General (IG) Police, Bastar Range Sundarraj P.
A large cache of weapons, including an AK-47, rocket and Barrel Grenade Launcher (BGL), SLR along with explosive materials were also recovered from the spot. In a separate development, a Maoist cadre was also gunned down following an exchange of fire that took place between the forces and the cadres of the banned outfit in Bijapur district.
Interacting with the media over the encounter, Chhattisgarh deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma informed that the government is not willing to use force and appeals to those holding arms to surrender.
2025 में 85 दिनों में 133 नक्सली मारे गए है!
कुल मिलाकर 2700 से 2800 की संख्या में नक्सलियों का
सरेंडर हुआ है या आत्मसमर्पण किए है या मारे गए है!विष्णुदेव सरकार 1 गोली भी नहीं चलाना चाहती।
एक अच्छी पुनर्वास नीति के साथ विष्णुदेव सरकार की अपील है – भटके हुए लोग सरेंडर करें,… pic.twitter.com/LYFEYtyy7D— Vijay sharma (@vijaysharmacg) March 29, 2025
“A total of 133 Maoists were neutralised in this year alone. In totality around 2800-2900 Maoists have either surrendered, arrested or killed. The government does not want to fire a single bullet…The government with a very effective surrender policy appeals to whoever are involved in this to surrender and secure their lives,” said Sharma.
The government is fully committed to settle the lives of those surrendering. In this whole campaign, the resolve of Home Minister Amit Shah is big and I hope that the armed-insurgency will be eliminated in the due time i.e. before March 2026, added Sharma.
