After Sukma, a large number of Maoists have now surrendered in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh. On Wednesday, 26 Maoists laid down their arms in Sukma. Two days later, on Friday, another 63 Maoists surrendered before the police in Dantewada.
Dantewada Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai said that 18 of those who surrendered on Friday were women. He added that 36 of them carried cash rewards totaling more than ₹1 crore and 19 lakh. The surrender took place in the presence of police and CRPF officials under a rehabilitation initiative.
Major surrenders in South Bastar region
According to police sources, the Maoists who surrendered were active in South Bastar, West Bastar, and the Mad Division areas of Chhattisgarh, as well as in bordering areas of Odisha. Among the surrendered cadres were senior leaders, including Kalahandi Area Committee Secretary Paklu alias Pradeep Oiyam and Divisional Committee member Mohan alias Azad Kadti, along with his wife Sumitra.
Officials said that seven of the surrendered Maoists had rewards of ₹8 lakh each on their heads. Seven others carried rewards of ₹5 lakh each, while eight had rewards of ₹2 lakh each. All those who surrendered will be rehabilitated as per government policy.
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Rehabilitation efforts and government target
Two rehabilitation programmes, named 'Lon Bharatu', and 'Puna Margem', have been launched to help surrendered Maoists return to mainstream society. Police officials confirmed that the Dantewada surrender took place under the 'Puna Margem' program.
Earlier on Wednesday, 26 Maoists surrendered in the Sukma district, of whom 13 had total rewards of ₹65 lakh. These cadres were involved in Maoist activities in Sukma, Abujhmad, and the Odisha border areas.
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The central government has set a target to eliminate Maoist insurgency from the country by March 31 this year. Police said that more than 1,500 Maoists surrendered in Chhattisgarh last year alone, and several senior Maoist leaders have also been killed in encounters with security forces.
