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Raipur: In a historic success in the ongoing campaign to eliminate Naxal-insurgency from the country by March next year as announced by the Union Government, over 200 Maoists surrendered before officials in Bastar district on October 17.
The landmark development unfolded at an event organised in Bastar’s Jagdalpur, where as many as 208 Maoists holding the Indian Constitution were welcomed back into the mainstream before Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, deputy CM Vijay Sharma and senior officials of the police.
According to officials, the surrendered group includes 110 women and 98 men, representing various ranks of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) organisation. Among them are one Central Committee Member (CCM), four Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) members, one Regional Committee Member, 21 Divisional Committee Members (DVCMs), 61 Area Committee Members (ACMs), 98 Party Members, and 22 PLGA/RPC/other cadres.
#WATCH | Chhattisgarh | 208 Naxalites surrender and lay down their weapons before security forces in Bastar's Jagdalpur to join the mainstream, as they express confidence in the Constitution of India pic.twitter.com/mDkpFOvLSP
— ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2025
Among the top Maoist leaders who laid down arms were Rupesh alias Satish (Central Committee Member), Bhaskar alias Rajman Mandavi (DKSZC Member), Ranita (DKSZC Member), Raju Salam (DKSZC Member), Dhannu Vetti alias Santu (DKSZC Member), and Ratan Elam (Regional Committee Member).
The Maoist group during the event also surrender a huge cache of arms including sophisticated weapons. A total of 153 weapons, including 19 AK-47 rifles, 17 SLR rifles, 23 INSAS rifles, one INSAS LMG, 36 .303 rifles, four carbines, 11 BGL launchers, 41 twelve-bore or single-shot guns, and one pistol were surrendered by the group.
Officials hailed the surrender as one of the most significant breakthroughs in recent years, saying it underscores the growing success of the government’s Naxal Eradication and Rehabilitation Policy 2025, which combines development, dialogue, and trust-building measures to encourage militants to return to the mainstream.
“The kind of appeal that Naxalite organisations have made for Bastar, and we have been doing it consistently, is that the youth were being misled that they were fighting for the people of Bastar. But they have realised that they weren’t fighting for the people; they were harming them. Bastar hasn’t developed in all these years. Now, if they all contribute together, Bastar will progress… It’s not about tactics, now the foundation is gone,” said Chhattisgarh DGP Arun Deo Gautam.
#WATCH | Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh | On surrender of 208 Naxalites, Chhattisgarh DGP Arun Deo Gautam says, "The kind of appeal that Naxalite organisations have made for Bastar, and we have been doing it consistently, is that the youth were being misled that they were fighting for… https://t.co/UqC2tDnbaW pic.twitter.com/vOQgWRIi8j
— ANI (@ANI) October 17, 2025
With this, officials said, most of Abujhmad has been freed from Naxal influence, bringing an end to the decades-long Red terror in North Bastar. As per officials, now only south Bastar remain affected.
Chhattisgarh Deputy CM Vijay Sharma said that “It is a very important day when Bastar has taken a huge step towards becoming free of Naxalism. The surrendered naxals have taken a step towards joining the mainstream and rehabilitation. We welcome them.”
Earlier on Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that 258 Naxalites had surrendered in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra over the past two days.
Describing the development as a “landmark day” in the country’s battle against Naxalism, Shah said the menace is now “breathing its last. “As per the Home Minister, 170 Naxalites surrendered in Chhattisgarh on Thursday, while 27 had laid down arms in the same state a day earlier. Another 61 cadres surrendered in Maharashtra on Wednesday.
(With inputs from ANI)
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