New Delhi: A group of 37 Maoists including 12 women cadres surrendered before officials in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district, police said on November 30.
The surrender took place before senior officials of the police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) as part of the Poona Margem (From rehabilitation to social re-integration) initiative of the government.
The surrendered Naxals were involved in various unlawful activities including in encounters with security forces. 27 of those who joined the mainstream were carrying a cumulative reward of Rs 65 lakhs, officials informed.
The surrendered Maoists are provided with immediate financial assistance of Rs 50,000 each and will be given benefits of other schemes as well.
With the inclusion on Sunday, the number of Maoists surrendering arms before officials in Dantewada district in the past 20 months has surpassed the figure of 500, according to the police.
#WATCH | Dantewada (Chhattisgarh): 37 Naxals, including 12 women, surrender. Dantewada SP Gaurav Rai says, "… They were involved in the 2024 encounter in Tultuli, including their leader Kamlesh, who later surrendered in Andhra Pradesh. We will gather more information from them… pic.twitter.com/KqQaLY0yDg
— ANI (@ANI) November 30, 2025
Hundreds of Maoists have surrender before authorities in Chhattisgarh and Maoist-affected adjoining regions of other states in recent times marking a major turnaround in insurgency-hit regions of Central Bharat.
Earlier last week, 22 hardcore Maoists had also surrendered before officials in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar and Maharashtra’s Gondia district.
According to details, 10 hardcore Maoists led by notorious Naxal leader Chaitu alias Shyam Dada (63) surrendered before the police in Bastar district on November 28. The surrendered Naxals were carrying a collective bounty of Rs 65 lakhs on their heads.
A seasoned Maoist, Chaitu was considered one of the mastermind of infamous Jhiram Ghati massacre which resulted in killings of several top Congress leaders including Mahendra Karma in 2013.
Meanwhile in Maharashtra’s Gondia, Special Zonal Committee member Anant alias Vikas Nagpure and 11 hardcore Naxalites also laid down weapons before officials, marking a major breakthrough for security forces. According to officials, the surrendered cadres were carrying a collective reward of Rs 89 lakh.
This comes a day after 43 Maoists laying down arms before authorities in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur and Rajnandgaon districts on November 26.
Those who laid down arms in Bijapur (41) included of 12 female cadres who turned themselves before police, announcing their return to the mainstream. The surrendered Naxals were associated with various units of the Maoists outfit and carrying a cumulative reward of Rs 1.19 crore.
Meanwhile, a Maoist couple carrying a collective reward of Rs 20 lakhs had also surrendered before officials in Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai on November 26.
The surrendered couple has been identified as area committee member Dhanush alias Munna and his wife Roni alias Tule.
Dhanush was part of the Maoist’s technical unit and a key member of the group’s communication network of Maad division while his wife Roni was a member of the Maoist’s Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh (MMC) zone.
The couple decided to join mainstream after security forces intensified campaign on the bordering areas of Chhattisgarh, targeting the members of the Maoist’s MMC zone.
On November 25, a group of 28 Maoists including 19 female cadres had also surrendered before police in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district.
The surrendered members included of DVC cadres and were all carrying a cumulative bounty of Rs 89 lakhs. They also had surrendered weapons including of INSAS and SLRs.
A day earlier on November 24, a group of 15 Maoists had also turned themselves before authorities and surrendered in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district. Those who laid down arms were carrying a collective bounty of Rs 47 lakhs on their heads.
It is to be noted that the battle against Maoists has reached its final stages with officials expressing confidence to eradicate the Maoist menace before the Union Government’s deadline of March next year.
Security forces have neutralised several key Maoist leaders including former general secretary of CPI (Maoist) Nambala Kesava Rao and notorious Maoist commander Madvi Hidma in separate encounters this year.
More than 2200 Maoists have surrendered before police in Chhattisgarh since December 2023 marking a major turnaround in the tribal dominated state once badly marred by red terror.
