As many as 22 Naxals on Tuesday surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, police said. The cadres, including a woman, turned themselves in before senior police and CRPF officials under the 'Poona Margem' (New Dawn) rehabilitation scheme of the government, Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan said.
Maoists' influence is steadily declining
The Maoists' influence is steadily declining in the district due to the ongoing anti-Naxal operations, establishment of new security camps and the increased reach of development projects, he said.
The District Reserve Guard (DRG) Sukma, District Force Sukma, Range Field Team (RFT) Jagdalpur and the Central Reserve Police Force played a key role in encouraging the Naxalites to surrender, the SP said.
The surrendered Naxalites were provided an assistance of Rs 50,000 each and will be further rehabilitated as per the government's policy, he added. More than 1,500 Naxalites surrendered in the state in 2025. The Centre has resolved to eliminate Naxalism from the country by March 31, 2026.
Four Naxals surrendered last month
Last month, four Naxals, including two women, carrying cumulative rewards of Rs 8 lakh, surrendered along with their weapons in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district, a senior police official said.
The cadres, who belonged to the Kistaram area committee of the south Bastar division of Maoists, turned themselves in here under the state’s ‘Poona Margem (from rehabilitation to social reintegration) initiative, Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj P said.
The Naxalites told the police that they were impressed by the state government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy, he said. Of the surrendered cadres, Sodhi Joga, an area committee member, carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh. The others, Dabar Ganga, alias Madkam Ganga, Sodhi Raje, and Madvi Budhari, carried a bounty of Rs 1 lakh each, he said.
They also handed over one Insas rifle, a Single Loading Rifle (SLR), one .303 rifle and a .315 rifle, and ammunition, he said, adding that police from Sukma district and Alluri Sitarama Raju district (Andhra Pradesh) played a key role in their surrender.
Surrendered cadres will be provided with rehabilitation
The newly established security camps in the Kistaram and Golapalli areas of Sukma, improved road connectivity, and the success of continuous and effective anti-Naxal operations have resulted in frequent surrender of cadres in the region, he said.
These security camps have helped curb Maoist activities, and their area of free movement has been significantly reduced, he said. The surrendered cadres will be provided with rehabilitation, financial assistance, and other facilities as per government policy, he added.
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