Jharkhand Police have achieved another significant success in their ongoing campaign against Left Wing Extremism, with three wanted Maoist cadres, including a senior commander carrying a reward of Rs 10 lakh, surrendering before security forces in the state's West Singhbhum district. Officials described the development as a major setback for the Maoist organisation operating in the Kolhan region, where security agencies have intensified anti-insurgency operations in recent months.
The surrendered Maoist commander has been identified as Saluka Kayam alias Bhuvneshwar, who had a bounty of Rs 10 lakh on his head. He surrendered along with his wife Pinky and another woman cadre, Kodo Muni Koda alias Padmini. The surrender was facilitated through a coordinated effort involving the Jharkhand Police, Chaibasa Police, and other security agencies engaged in anti-Maoist operations in the region.
Following their surrender, all three cadres were shifted to a secure location, where they are being questioned by investigators. Police officials said the interrogation is aimed at gathering intelligence about the remaining Maoist network, its operational structure, logistics, and the movement of senior insurgent leaders active in the forested areas of the Kolhan region.
Officials confirmed that the surrendered cadres have not yet handed over any weapons. Security personnel are making efforts to recover firearms, explosives, communication equipment, and other material that may have been concealed in forest hideouts. The information obtained during the interrogation is also expected to help security forces identify Maoist camps and routes used by insurgent groups.
According to police records, Saluka Kayam was one of the most wanted Maoist operatives in Jharkhand. He was allegedly involved in more than two dozen major encounters with security forces over the years and played an important role in planning and executing several Maoist operations. Investigators said he specialised in planting improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which were frequently used to target police personnel and security convoys operating in remote forest areas.
Apart from attacks on security forces, Saluka Kayam has also been accused of involvement in several serious criminal offences, including kidnapping, murder, extortion, and other acts of violence linked to Maoist activities. Police records indicate that he is named in nearly 96 criminal cases registered at different police stations, making him one of the most wanted Maoist leaders in the region.
Police officials believe his surrender is likely to weaken the organisational strength of the Maoist outfit, particularly in the Kolhan area, where security forces have sustained pressure through intelligence-based operations over the past several months. Authorities have also appealed to other Maoist cadres to abandon violence and join the mainstream, assuring them of rehabilitation opportunities under the government's surrender and rehabilitation policy.
The latest surrender comes amid an intensified anti-Maoist drive across Jharkhand, where security forces have stepped up operations to dismantle the insurgent network. Increased surveillance, coordinated operations by police and central armed forces, and improved intelligence gathering have resulted in a series of arrests and surrenders in recent weeks.
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The development follows another major success recorded in the neighbouring Seraikela-Kharsawan district, where security forces recently arrested three hardcore Maoists carrying a combined reward of Rs 22 lakh. Those arrested were identified as Sagar Singh Sardar alias Biren alias Ravi, who carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh, Madan Mahato, carrying a bounty of Rs 15 lakh, and woman Maoist Meena Pahadia, who had a reward of Rs 2 lakh.
Police had then described those arrests as a severe blow to the Maoist network operating in the district, saying the action had disrupted the group's organisational structure and operational planning. With the surrender of Saluka Kayam and two other cadres, security officials believe the insurgent outfit has suffered another major setback.
Authorities said anti-Maoist operations will continue across the state, particularly in vulnerable forest regions, with the objective of eliminating extremist influence, ensuring public safety, and restoring normalcy. Police are optimistic that the latest surrender will yield crucial intelligence, accelerate ongoing operations, and encourage more insurgents to lay down arms and return to the mainstream.
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