66 Naxalites Surrender In 5 Districts; 49 Carry Total Reward of ₹2.27 Crores In Chhattisgarh Friday, July 25, 2025 by Indian Defence News
In a major breakthrough in Chhattisgarh’s ongoing efforts to combat Naxalite insurgency and promote rehabilitation, a total of 66 Naxalites surrendered across five districts, with 49 among them carrying a combined bounty of ₹2.27 crore.
The significant wave of surrenders marks a positive development in the state’s anti-Maoist operations and the implementation of welfare schemes aimed at reintegration.
On Thursday, 15 Maoists surrendered in Dantewada district before senior police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) officials. Five of these cadre carried cash rewards totalling ₹17 lakh.
The surrendered cadres cited their disenchantment with Maoist ideology, resentment against atrocities committed by their own ranks on innocent tribal communities, and internal conflicts within the banned organisation as key reasons for abandoning the violent path.
They were also drawn to the state government’s developmental initiatives such as the “Niyad Nellanar” scheme, focused on improving infrastructure and facilities in remote villages, and the new surrender and rehabilitation policy aimed at facilitating social reintegration. Additionally, the ‘Poona Margham’ rehabilitation initiative launched by the Bastar Range police played a crucial role in encouraging militants to surrender.
In Bijapur district, 25 cadres laid down arms, of whom 23 carried bounties amounting to ₹1.15 crore. Notable among them was Ramanna Irpa, a 37-year-old Odisha state committee member and special zonal committee member of the Maoists, who had a ₹25 lakh reward on his head. His wife, Rame Kalmu, a platoon party committee member, had a bounty of ₹8 lakh.
Others such as Sukku Kalmu, Bablu Madvi, Kosi Madkam, and Reena Vanjam, who held key positions within various Maoist formations, each carried rewards of ₹8 lakh. Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Yadav highlighted the importance of these surrenders in weakening the Maoist structure in the district.
Dantewada Additional Superintendent of Police Udit Pushkar confirmed that among the 15 surrendered ultras, five had a collective bounty of ₹17 lakh. Budhram alias Lalu Kuhram, a divisional committee member, and his wife Kamli alias Moti Potawi, carrying rewards of ₹8 lakh and ₹5 lakh respectively, were part of this group.
The district’s ‘Lon Varratu’ campaign, launched in June 2020 to encourage Naxalites to “return to their homes,” has seen a total of 1,020 militants surrender, including 254 rewarded cadres, underscoring the success of state efforts.
In Kanker district, 13 surrendered Naxalites carried a combined reward of ₹62 lakh. Superintendent of Police Indira Kalyan Elesela emphasized the active role played by law enforcement and development initiatives in facilitating these surrenders.
Similarly, Narayanpur district saw eight ultras surrender, with a cumulative bounty of ₹33 lakh. Among them was Vatti Ganga alias Mukesh, the Maoists’ north bureau technical team leader, who alone had a reward of ₹8 lakh on his head, as per local Superintendent of Police Robinson Guria.
All surrendered Maoists were granted financial assistance of ₹50,000 each and are slated to receive continued support and rehabilitation in line with the state government’s policies. This comprehensive approach aims not only to dismantle the insurgency but also to reintegrate former cadres into society, promoting long-term peace and development in the affected regions of Chhattisgarh.
Based On A PTI Report
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