108 Maoists surrender in Chhattisgarh's Bastar; ₹3.61 crore cash, gold recovered

In a major breakthrough in the government's ongoing campaign against Left-Wing Extremism, 108 Maoists surrendered in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district on Wednesday, officials said. The surrendered insurgents collectively carried a bounty of ₹3.95 crore.

Authorities also recovered a large cache of weapons along with ₹3.61 crore in cash and one kilogram of gold valued at around ₹1.64 crore from Maoist hideouts. According to Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj Pattilingam, this marks the largest single recovery of cash and valuables in the history of anti-Naxal operations in India.

The development comes as Union Home Minister Amit Shah has set March 31, 2026, as the target date for completely eliminating Naxalism from the country.

Officials added that six of the surrendered Maoists were divisional committee members, each carrying a reward of ₹8 lakh on their heads.

Maoists Surrender in Bastar

The cadres, belonging to the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) of Maoists, turned themselves in at Jagdalpur, the Bastar district headquarters, Bastar Range Inspector General of Police Sundarraj Pattilingam said.

The DKSZC formation of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) had orchestrated several deadly attacks in south Bastar in the past.

Weapons, Cash Recovered from Maoist Dumps

Information provided by the surrendered cadres helped security forces achieve significant successes, including the recovery of weapons, cash and other materials from Maoist dumps, the official said.

A total of 101 weapons were seized, including AK-47, INSAS and SLR rifles, light machine guns, .303 rifles and barrel grenade launchers. The seizure has dealt a significant blow to the already weakened military capability of the Maoist organisation, Pattilingam added.

Key Maoist Leaders Among Those Who Surrendered

Among those who surrendered were several key cadres, including divisional committee members Rahul Telam, Pandru Kovasi and Jhitru Oyam from the West Bastar division, Ramdhar alias Biru from the East Bastar division, and Mallesh from the North Bastar division.

Others included Muchaki, commander of the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) battalion, and Kosa Mandavi, a divisional committee member from the Andhra-Odisha Border area of Maoists, the official said.

Maoist Ideology Losing Ground

The large-scale surrender indicates that Maoist ideology is weakening and even members within the organisation are questioning its relevance, Pattilingam said.

He added that many cadres were influenced by the “Poona Margem – Rehabilitation to Rejuvenation” initiative and were choosing to abandon violence and return to mainstream society.

Rehabilitation for Surrendered Cadres

Efforts are being made under the rehabilitation policies of the Centre and the Chhattisgarh government to ensure security and a dignified life for the surrendered cadres, the official said.

Of the 108 surrendered cadres, six were divisional committee members, three company platoon committee commanders, 18 platoon party committee members, 23 area committee members and 56 party members, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma told reporters in Raipur.

Maoists from Several Districts

District-wise, 37 Maoists belonged to Bijapur, 30 were from Dantewada, 18 from Sukma, 16 from Bastar, four from Narayanpur and three from Kanker.

The government aims to eliminate Naxalism by March 31, 2026, said Sharma, who holds charge of the state Home department.

Increasing Surrenders in Chhattisgarh

Maoists are increasingly abandoning violence due to sustained security operations and the government's rehabilitation policy, which offers them an opportunity to lead a peaceful life, he said.

According to police, 2,714 Maoist cadres have returned to the mainstream in the state over the past 26 months after giving up violence.

In the Bastar division alone, 2,625 Maoists surrendered between January 1, 2024 and March 9, 2026.

(With inputs from news agency PTI)