Raipur: The Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently announced that Uttar (north) Bastar region of Chhattisgarh including Abujhmad has become free from Naxals.
The announcement came on the heels of more than 250 hardcore Maoists laying down arms before authorities in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar and Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra which shares its border with the Maad region, a notorious stronghold of Maoists since long.
Among those who laid down arms includes the likes of top Naxal leaders Mallojula Venugupal Rao aka Bhupati, a politburo member of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) and its Central Committee Member (CCM ) Rupesh.
The surrender marks a significant moment in the forces ongoing campaign against Maoists which has gained significant momentum in the last few months, pushing the Naxal group on back foot in their erstwhile strong zones.
After surrender of Bhupati and Rupesh, another top Maoist operating in Maad region could also lay down arms before officials. As per reports, Maoist’s CCM Ramdher is also said to be in touch with officials and could lay down arms anytime soon.
CC member Ramdher has backing of 40-50 hardcore Maoists who could join him in laying down arms. Ramdher was active in Uttar Bastar region and carries a notable bounty on his head. He is said to be in touch with officials of Mahla camp near Pankhanjur of Kanker district.
Surrender of top Maoists
It is to be noted that more than 250 Maoists have laid down weapons in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar and Gadchiroli of Maharashtra in back to back developments in mid-October.
Those who laid down weapons in Jagdalpur of Chhattisgarh include 110 women cadres and 98 men.
Among the surrendered group were Rupesh alias Satish (CCM), Bhaskar alias Rajman Mandavi, Ranita, Raju Salam, Dhannu Vetti alias Santu all members of the Dandkaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC ) and Ratan Elam (Regional Committee Member) of CPI (Maoist).
The group also surrendered a huge cache of arms including 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.
The surrender in Jagdalpur occurred hours after Maoist politburo member Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Bhupati laying down arms in a separate event in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli with 60 other Maoists.
With this, the 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, only south Bastar region of Chhattisgarh remain infested by Maoist presence now.
The Union Government has set a deadline to eradicate Naxal-insurgency from Bharat by March 2026. The government in a press release recently informed that only 11 districts in the country remain infested with Maoist presence as compare to more than 180 districts before 2014.
