New Delhi: In a major breakthrough in the ongoing anti insurgency campaign in central India, 108 Maoists surrendered in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh on Wednesday. The surrendered cadres collectively carried a government bounty of nearly ₹3.95 crore, marking one of the largest mass surrenders by Maoist fighters in recent years.
The development comes just weeks before the March 31, 2026 deadline set by Amit Shah to eliminate Maoist activity in the country. Security officials view the surrender as a significant step in weakening the long standing insurgency that has affected parts of central India for decades.
Many of those who laid down arms were linked to the powerful Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, a key operational wing of the Maoist movement in the region. Acting on information provided by the surrendered cadres, security forces also discovered a massive Maoist arms and supply dump hidden in forest areas.
During the operation, forces recovered around ₹3.61 crore in cash and nearly one kilogram of gold valued at approximately ₹1.64 crore. Authorities also seized a large stockpile of weapons that included 101 firearms of various types. Among the recovered arms were AK 47 rifles, INSAS rifles, carbines, light machine guns, .303 rifles, twelve bore guns, grenade launchers and a mortar system. Officials described it as one of the largest recoveries of cash, gold and weapons during an anti Maoist operation in the country.
The surrender followed negotiations after several Maoist members contacted security agencies expressing their willingness to abandon the insurgency. They also revealed locations of hidden weapon caches, allowing forces to carry out coordinated recovery operations.
According to state police leadership, thousands of Maoists have surrendered since 2024 as part of a campaign aimed at dismantling the insurgent network in Bastar. Several senior figures within the Maoist structure were among those who surrendered, indicating increasing pressure on the movement.
Vishnu Deo Sai said the development signals that Bastar is gradually moving toward peace and stability. He emphasized that continued security operations, rehabilitation policies and development initiatives are aimed at ending Maoist influence and restoring normalcy in the region.
Sorry, there was a YouTube error.
