Eight Maoists, carrying a combined bounty of Rs 30 lakh, surrendered in the Naxal-affected Abujhmad region of Chhattisgarh before Narayanpur Superintendent of Police. The surrender, which includes top cadre leaders, marks a strategic blow to the Maoists’ organisation and a major success for the state’s anti-Naxal campaign. Among those who laid down arms are six male and two female Maoists, including high-ranking operatives such as DVCM (divisional committee member) doctor Sukhlal Jurri (Rs 8 lakh reward), PPCM Hurra alias Himanshu (Rs 8 lakh), ACM (Area Committee member) Kamla Gota (Rs 5 lakh), and ACM Raju Podiam alias Sunil (Rs 5 lakh). Four others, considered lower-rung cadres, each carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh, including Maniram Korram, Sukku Farsa alias Nagesh, Ramu Ram Poyam, and Deepa Punem.
SP Robinson Guria confirmed that under the government’s Naxal eradication and rehabilitation policy, each surrendered cadre will receive Rs 50,000 and full access to reintegration facilities. The move is part of a broader campaign that has seen 148 Maoists surrender in Narayanpur district alone this year.
During post-surrender interrogation, DVCM doctor Sukhlal delivered a damning indictment of the Maoist leadership, stating that top cadre Maoist leaders are the biggest enemies of the tribal people. They enslave the people of Bastar by showing them hollow dreams of protecting water, forest and land. His remarks were echoed by female cadre Kamla Gota, who exposed the exploitation of women within the organisation. Life for female Maoists has become hell. Big leaders use them like slaves and exploit them personally, she said.
Police officials attribute the surge in surrenders to sustained pressure from security forces and growing disillusionment within the Maoist ranks. Internal rifts, ideological fatigue, and the exposure of leadership hypocrisy have reportedly weakened the organisation’s grip on tribal regions. The surrender of these eight Maoists is being hailed not only as a tactical win but also as a moral victory for the state’s outreach and rehabilitation efforts.
With more cadres expected to abandon violence, officials believe the tide may be turning in one of India’s most entrenched insurgencies.
