Deadline day sees dozens of Maoists lay down arms | India News
In Gadchiroli, long the hardest hit by Maoist violence, officials described the surrender of nine people from Chhattisgarh as significant because of their role in the wide-ranging operation in both states. Rehabilitation facilities, including financial aid and skills training, will be vetted in advance. The Center has already reclassified Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli and Gondia from Maoist-affected districts to the “inheritance and thrust” category — the final stage before full normalization.Officials said the coordinated strategy, combining sustained security operations and incentives, weakened insurgent morale and encouraged surrender.Odisha Police said that the CPI (Maoist) has collapsed in the state without any new recruits. Nine districts where Maoist presence was once reported have now been cleared, leaving only a small section with limited activity in Kandhamal. Forces are on high alert to avoid resurgence.
Only 2 districts are still labeled LWE-affected
Along with this, only Bijapur in Chhattisgarh and West Singhbhum in Jharkhand are classified as Maoist affected districts across the country. On Tuesday, at least 35 insurgents surrendered across five Bastar districts – 25 in Bijapur, five in Dantewada, two each in Sukma and Kankere and one in Narayanpur – as security forces stepped up pressure on Maoist networks. Nine more Maoists crossed the Indravati river from Chhattisgarh jungles and entered Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli and surrendered with arms and explosives.Security forces recovered 93 weapons, over 7 kg of gold and Rs 2.9 crore in cash from Maoist dumps in Bijapur alone, with a total value of over Rs 14 crore. In Dantewada, five cadres attached to Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee surrendered. The police said that the intelligence provided by them led to the seizure of 40 weapons, including SLRs and Insus rifles. SP Gaurav Rai said the surrender of “the last five active Maoists” has made the district Naxalite-free.
29 Naxal cadres surrendered arms in 3 districts of Chhattisgarh
The Bijapur police reported the surrender of 25 cadres, including area committee members, along with the seizure of weapons such as AK-47. In Sukma, two female award bearers surrendered Rs 8 lakh each. The force seized Tk 10 lakh in cash and rifles. SP Kiran Chavan said the Maoist network in the district has been “almost destroyed”.Kankar saw the two surrender with an AK-47 rifle. SP Nikhil Rakchecha said 11 cadres had returned to the mainstream in six days, though about 14 Maoists, including divisional committee-level members Chander and Rupi, were still active.Around nine lower level cadres are believed to be active in Kandhamal forest. “They can either be neutralized or arrested,” added ADG (Anti-Naxal Operations) Sanjeev Panda.
