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In a landmark achievement in India's nationwide battle against left-wing extremism, as many as 210 Naxals laid down their arms on Friday in Chhattisgarh, formally surrendering 153 weapons as part of the state government's comprehensive surrender and rehabilitation initiative. 

This mass capitulation represents one of the largest single-day surrenders in recent years and signals a significant weakening of the Maoist insurgency in the region.

This development is poised to eradicate Naxal terror from the majority of the Abujhmad region and the entirety of North Bastar, leaving only South Bastar as the sole remaining hotspot for Maoist activity. The Abujhmad area, long considered the impenetrable heartland of Naxalism due to its dense, inaccessible forests, has historically served as a safe haven for rebel operations, making this surrender a game-changer for regional security.

 

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Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Amit Malavya described the event as a “historic day for Chhattisgarh” and “a new dawn for Bastar.” Providing details on the surrendered arsenal, Malavya noted that it included 19 AK-47 rifles, 17 Self-Loading Rifle (SLR) rifles, 36 .303 rifles, along with several other firearms such as INSAS rifles, carbines, and improvised explosive devices. The surrendering group consisted of 110 female cadres and 98 male cadres from the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) outfit, highlighting the inclusive impact of rehabilitation efforts on both genders within the insurgent ranks.

The surrenders build on momentum generated earlier in the week. On Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who has publicly set a firm deadline of March 2026 to completely wipe out Naxalism across the country, announced that a total of 258 battle-hardened Maoists had already surrendered in Chhattisgarh and neighbouring Maharashtra over the preceding two days. These individuals included mid-level commanders and hardcore operatives with years of combat experience.

 

“I applaud their decision to renounce violence. Those who surrender will be welcomed, but those continuing to wield guns will face the full force of security operations,” Shah said in a strongly worded statement emphasising the government's dual approach of amnesty for repentant cadres and unrelenting action against die-hards.

 

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Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai echoed the optimism, hailing the surrenders as a "historic milestone" in the state's journey toward peace. “North Bastar and Abujhmad are now Naxal-free, ushering in a new era of peace and development. The surrender of 258 cadres in two days proves that trust, not guns, is winning today,” he said in an official statement released from Raipur.

Sai went on to credit the resounding success to key government interventions, particularly the state's newly implemented Naxalite Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy 2025 and the innovative Niyad Nella Naar scheme, which provides financial incentives, skill training, and psychosocial support to former insurgents. 

He also underscored the strategic establishment of 64 new security camps in Naxal-affected areas over the past year. “These measures have strengthened security and brought development to every village,” Sai elaborated, pointing to improved road connectivity, schools, healthcare centers, and employment opportunities that have eroded Maoist influence at the grassroots level.

The broader progress over the last 22 months paints an even more encouraging picture. In Chhattisgarh alone, security forces have neutralised 477 Naxalites in encounters, facilitated the surrender of 2,110 cadres, and arrested 1,785 others. These cumulative efforts have drastically reduced the insurgent footprint, bringing the ambitious goal of declaring Chhattisgarh entirely Naxal-free by March 31, 2026, tantalisingly close to realisation.

Logistically, the surrenders were meticulously coordinated. Police sources revealed that 120 Naxals had arrived in Bijapur district on Thursday to initiate the process, while an additional 50 cadres had reached a Border Security Force (BSF) camp in Kanker district on Wednesday. All 170 of these early arrivals, along with the remaining 40 from Friday's group, are scheduled to formally surrender before Chief Minister Sai in a high-profile ceremony at Jagdalpur, the divisional headquarters of Bastar, on Saturday.

The Abujhmad region's dense forests, sprawling across the districts of Narayanpur, Bijapur, Dantewada, and Kanker in Chhattisgarh, as well as parts of Gadchiroli in Maharashtra, were once impregnable strongholds and primary training grounds for senior Naxal cadres. 

These areas facilitated guerrilla warfare, arms manufacturing, and ideological indoctrination, posing a persistent threat to national security. The recent wave of surrenders marks a decisive shift, dismantling this network and reflecting the synergistic impact of intensified security measures—such as drone surveillance, forward operating bases, and joint operations by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), District Reserve Guard (DRG), and BSF—with proactive government outreach programmes offering amnesty, stipends, and reintegration packages.

Officials and security analysts attribute the surge in surrenders to a multifaceted strategy. Coordinated outreach programs, including village-level awareness campaigns and direct negotiations by former Naxals turned surrenderees, have built trust among rank-and-file cadres. The increased security presence, with over 64 camps now operational, has compressed Maoist mobility and supply lines. 

Targeted policies like the 2025 Rehabilitation framework, which guarantees Rs 2.5 lakh in immediate aid plus monthly stipends for three years, have addressed the socio-economic grievances that fuel recruitment. Together, these elements have created an environment where surrender is not just viable but increasingly preferable to a life of violence and isolation.

As Chhattisgarh edges closer to its Naxal-free milestone, this breakthrough underscores a broader national narrative: the tide is turning against left-wing extremism through a potent blend of resolve, reform, and rehabilitation.

 

Also Read: ‘What’s there to talk?’ Amit Shah urges Naxals to surrender