As many as 63 Naxalites, including 36 carrying a collective bounty of over Rs 1.19 crore, surrendered before security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district on Friday, a senior police official said.
The cadres, including 18 women, laid down arms before senior police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officials under the ‘Poona Margem’ initiative, which focuses on rehabilitation and social reintegration, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai said.
The surrendered Naxalites told officials that they were influenced 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,” Rai said.
Among them were seven cadres carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh each. These included Paklu, alias Pradip Oyam (45), secretary of the Kalahandi area committee; 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), a platoon party committee member; Sukhram Tati (20), a member of Company No. 1; Pandu Madkam (19), a member of Company No. 7; and Somdu Kadti (21), also attached to the same wing.
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Seven other cadres carried a bounty of Rs 5 lakh each, eight carried Rs 2 lakh each, 11 carried Rs 1 lakh each, and three carried Rs 50,000 each, Rai said, adding that the total reward on the 36 cadres amounted to 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.
Earlier, 26 Naxalites had surrendered in neighbouring Sukma district on January 7. More than 1,500 Naxalites surrendered across Chhattisgarh in 2025.
The Centre has resolved to eliminate Naxalism from the country by March 31, 2026.
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