Chhattisgarh: 63 Naxals surrender in Dantewada, 36 of them carried ₹1.19 crore bounty

In one of the largest single-day surrenders in recent months, 63 Naxalites, including 36 carrying a combined reward of more than ₹1.19 crore, laid down arms before security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district on Friday, officials said.

The cadres, including 18 women, laid down arms before senior police officials and personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force under the ‘Poona Margem’ initiative, which focuses on rehabilitation and social reintegration of former insurgents. Dantewada superintendent of police Gaurav Rai said those who surrendered expressed disillusionment with Maoist ideology and said they were motivated by the state government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy.

According to officials, the surrendered Naxalites were active in the South Bastar division, West Bastar division and Maad division, and were also operating in areas along the Odisha border. Seven of them carried a reward of ₹8 lakh each.

Those who surrendered were identified as 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), secretary of the Bhairamarh area committee; 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 from the same unit.

Officials said seven other cadres carried bounties of ₹5 lakh each, eight carried rewards of ₹2 lakh each, 11 carried ₹1 lakh each and three carried ₹50,000 each, taking the total reward amount on the 36 cadres to ₹1,19,50,000.

All 63 surrendered Naxalites will receive immediate financial assistance of ₹50,000 each and will be rehabilitated further in accordance with the government’s policy, officials said.

Earlier, on January 7, 26 Naxalites had surrendered in neighbouring Sukma district. Officials said more than 1,500 Naxalites surrendered across Chhattisgarh in 2025.

The Centre has set a deadline of March 31, 2026, to eliminate Naxalism from the country.