Bastar (Chhattisgarh): In a significant development for internal security, seven Naxalites, including four women, surrendered to security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. The surrenders occurred just hours before the expiry of the federal government’s ambitious deadline to completely eradicate Left Wing Extremism (LWE) from India. Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) P. Sundarraj confirmed that the cadres turned themselves in across the districts of Dantewada and Kanker, marking a symbolic victory for the state’s rehabilitation efforts.
In Dantewada, five members of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) surrendered under the “Poona Margem” (New Path) initiative. Among them was 42-year-old Some Kadti, an Area Committee Member carrying a bounty of ₹5 lakh. The other four—Lakhma Oyam, Sarita Podyam, Jogi Kalmu, and Moti Oyam—each carried rewards of ₹1 lakh. Following their surrender, security forces acted on intelligence provided by the cadres to uncover a massive arms cache, recovering 40 weapons including SLR and INSAS rifles, carbines, and grenade launchers.
Simultaneously, in Kanker district, two high-ranking cadres identified as Shankar and Hidma Dodi surrendered while handing over an AK-47 rifle to the police. IG Sundarraj emphasized that the weakened state of the Maoist organization is becoming increasingly evident as more cadres choose social reintegration over armed struggle. As the final window for the government’s surrender policy closes, officials have made a final appeal to remaining active insurgents to abandon violence and join the mainstream to avoid the intensified security operations expected to follow the deadline.
