63 Naxalites, including 36 with total bounty of over 1.19 crore, surrender in Chhattisgarh

Dantewada: As many as 63 Naxalites, 36 of them carrying a collective bounty of over Rs 1.19 crore, surrendered in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district on Friday, a senior police official said. The cadres, including 18 women, turned themselves in before senior police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officials here under ‘Poona Margem’ (from rehabilitation to social reintegration) initiative, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai said. The Naxalites said they were also impressed by the state government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy, he said. They were active in south Bastar division, west Bastar division, Maad division in the state, and in areas bordering Odisha, he said. Seven of the cadres carried a reward of Rs 8 lakh each, he said.

These Naxalites have been identified as Paklu, alias Pradip Oyam (45), who was the secretary of the Kalahandi area committee of Maoists; Mohan, alias Azad Kadti (32), a divisional committee member; his wife Sumitra, alias Droupati Chapa (30), Bhairamarh area committee secretary; Hungi, alias Radhika Lekam (28), platoon party committee member; Sukhram Tati (20), member of Company no. 1; Pandu Madkam (19), member of Company no. 7, and Somdu Kadti (21), who was also a member of the same wing. Seven other cadres carried a bounty of Rs 5 lakh each, 8 cadres Rs 2 lakh each, 11 cadres Rs 1 lakh each and three cadres Rs 50,000 each, he said, adding that these 36 cadres carried a collective reward of Rs 1,19,50,000. All the 63 surrendered Naxalites will be provided an immediate assistance of Rs 50,000 each and will be further rehabilitated as per the government’s policy, he added. On January 7, as many as 26 Naxalites had surrendered in the neighbouring Sukma district. More than 1,500 Naxalites surrendered in the state in 2025. The Centre resolved to eliminate Naxalism from the country by March 31, 2026.