16 hardcore Maoists surrender in Jharkhand; 11 weapons, 1,562 rounds seized
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK Ranchi, July 28: In a major breakthrough in its anti-Naxal campaign, the Jharkhand Police on Tuesday secured the…
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Ranchi, July 28: In a major breakthrough in its anti-Naxal campaign, the Jharkhand Police on Tuesday secured the surrender of 16 hardcore Maoists, including senior commanders of the CPI (Maoist), under Operation Navjeevan-II. The surrendered cadres, active in the Kolhan-Saranda region and Latehar district, laid down their arms before Director General of Police (DGP) Tadasha Mishra at the Police Headquarters in Ranchi.
The operation was carried out jointly by the Jharkhand Police, CRPF, CoBRA and Jharkhand Jaguar as part of an intensified campaign against Left-Wing Extremism in the state.
Top Maoist Commanders Among Those Who Surrendered
The 16 surrendered Maoists comprise 11 men and five women, including one Regional Commander, three Zonal Commanders, three Sub-Zonal Commanders, six Area Commanders and three squad members. They handed over 11 sophisticated firearms and 1,562 rounds of ammunition to the security forces.
Among those who surrendered was Santosh alias Basudev Da, a Regional Commander from Giridih carrying a ₹15 lakh bounty and facing 128 criminal cases.
Other key surrendering Maoists include Chandan Lohra, a Zonal Commander from Khunti with 78 criminal cases and a ₹10 lakh reward, and Anil Turi alias Ujjwal, a Sub-Zonal Commander from Lohardaga carrying a ₹5 lakh bounty.
Linked to CPI (Maoist) Leadership
Police said all the surrendered cadres were associated with the squad led by CPI (Maoist) Politburo member Misir Besra alias Sagar Ji and Central Committee member Asim Mandal, and possessed extensive knowledge of the Kolhan-Saranda forest region.
Of the 16 surrendered Maoists, 15 are residents of Jharkhand—from West Singhbhum, Latehar, Lohardaga, Hazaribagh, Khunti, Bokaro, Ranchi, Seraikela-Kharsawan and Giridih—while one belongs to Odisha’s Sundargarh district.
Modern Weapons Recovered
The surrendered Maoists handed over an arsenal that included:
- 6 INSAS rifles
- 2 AK-47 rifles
- 1 HK-33 rifle
- 1 US Carbine
- 1 M-16 rifle
- 38 magazines
- 1,562 rounds of ammunition
Eight More Maoists Surrendering in Chhattisgarh
Jharkhand Police said eight more Maoist commanders and cadres linked to the same network are also surrendering in neighbouring Chhattisgarh under the pressure of sustained security operations. The group comprises three men and five women from Bijapur, Sukma and Narayanpur districts.
Anti-Naxal Operations Gather Pace
According to Police Headquarters, 93 Maoists have been arrested, 45 have surrendered (including Tuesday’s 16), and 22 have been killed in encounters in Jharkhand so far in 2026.
Earlier this year, 27 Maoists surrendered on May 21, while top commanders Ravindra Ganjhu (₹20 lakh reward) and Ajay Mahto alias Tiger (₹25 lakh reward) were arrested on July 13 and July 17, respectively.
Police Appeal to Remaining Maoists
Jharkhand Police appealed to the remaining Maoists to renounce violence and take advantage of the state’s surrender and rehabilitation policy, which offers financial assistance, housing, land, education, skill development, healthcare, insurance, bank loans and employment opportunities for surrendered cadres.
Officials said growing operational pressure, coupled with internal exploitation and extortion within the Maoist organisation, has prompted many cadres to return to the mainstream.
Surrendered Maoists Linked to Major Attacks
IG (Operations) Narendra Singh said several of the surrendered Maoists were involved in major Naxal attacks, including the 2018 Bandariya landmine blast in Garhwa, which killed six Jharkhand Jaguar personnel, the 2023 IED blast in Tonto that injured nine CRPF jawans, the 2023 Arki attack in which Jharkhand Jaguar personnel were martyred, and the 2026 Chaibasa encounter that left CoBRA personnel injured.
He said the surrendered cadres would receive all benefits under the state’s rehabilitation policy while praising the coordinated efforts of Jharkhand Police, CRPF, CoBRA, Jharkhand Jaguar and intelligence agencies.
‘Active Maoists Reduced to Single Digits’
CRPF IG Saket Singh described the surrender as a major success against Left-Wing Extremism, stating that 24 Maoists are returning to the mainstream under Operation Navjeevan-II, with 16 surrendering in Jharkhand and eight in Chhattisgarh.
He said sustained joint operations had severely weakened the Maoist network and claimed that the number of active Maoists in Jharkhand had now dropped to single digits, with only a handful remaining in the Chaibasa region.
‘Jharkhand Will Soon Be Naxal-Free’
DGP Tadasha Mishra termed the operation a historic achievement and reiterated the state’s commitment to eliminating Left-Wing Extremism. Paying tribute to personnel martyred in anti-Naxal operations, she said all surrendered cadres would be rehabilitated under the government’s policy to help them rejoin mainstream society with dignity.
She expressed confidence that sustained operations by the Jharkhand Police and central security forces would soon make the state free from the Naxal menace.
