In a significant triumph for anti-Naxal operations, 103 Naxalites, including 49 carrying a cumulative bounty of over ₹1 crore, surrendered to authorities in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region on Thursday, October 2, 2025. The surrender, which took place in the Bijapur district, is one of the largest ever in the state in a single day.
The cadres, including 22 women, turned themselves in before senior police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officials, citing disillusionment with the "hollow" Maoist ideology and internal rifts within the banned CPI (Maoist). Bijapur Superintendent of Police (SP) Jitendra Kumar Yadav said the surrendered Naxalites were also influenced by the development works being carried out in the Bastar region and decided to abandon the path of armed rebellion.
The surrendered rebels, aged 18 to 40, included senior functionaries and lower-rank militia cadres of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) outfit. According to police, 49 of them carried a collective bounty of $119,541 USD. Among those who surrendered were top Maoist leaders such as Lachhu Punem alias Santosh (36), a divisional committee member of Maoists. Guddu Farsa (30), Bhima Sodhi (45), Hidme Farsa (26) and Sukhmati Oyam (27), all platoon party committee members, were carrying a reward of ₹8 lakh each. Four Naxalites were carrying a reward of ₹5 lakh each, 15 cadres a bounty of ₹2 lakh each, ten a reward of ₹1 lakh each, 12 cadres a reward of ₹50,000 each, and three a bounty of ₹10,000 each.
The surrender was also motivated by state initiatives like “Poona Margem” (Rehabilitation for Social Reintegration), a rehabilitation initiative launched by Bastar Range police for Maoists; 'Niyad Nellanar' (your good village) scheme of the Chhattisgarh government aimed at facilitating development works in remote villages; and the State administration's new surrender and rehabilitation policy.
Under the state's new Surrender and Rehabilitation measures, surrendered cadres will be provided free housing, healthcare, farmland, and other amenities, along with additional financial support if they choose to undergo skill training or start a small business. Each surrendering cadre received immediate assistance of ₹50,000 and will be rehabilitated under the state policy.
With this, 410 Naxalites have surrendered in Bijapur district so far this year, while 421 others have been arrested. SP Yadav affirmed that the terms of the government's rehabilitation policy have been encouraging Maoists to shun violence and that the families of those who surrender also want them to live a normal life and integrate with society. He urged Maoists to return to mainstream society.
In a separate incident, one Naxalite was killed in an ongoing encounter in the Gangaloor area, where intermittent gunfire continues. Security personnel recovered the body along with a weapon and explosives. With this, 253 Naxalites have been killed in Chhattisgarh this year, including 224 in the Bastar division, 27 in Gariaband, and two in Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki.
The recent surrenders and encounters highlight the ongoing efforts by security forces to combat Naxalism in the Bastar region. The government's surrender and rehabilitation policies, coupled with development initiatives in remote villages, are playing a crucial role in encouraging Naxalites to lay down their arms and join the mainstream.
