Chhattisgarh records historic Naxal surrender as 208 rebels lay down arms

New Delhi, Oct 17: In a decisive blow to Left Wing Extremism in Chhattisgarh, 208 Naxalites surrendered in Bastar’s Jagdalpur on Friday— a development being hailed as one of the biggest turning points in the fight against Maoist violence in recent years.

Authorities said the move effectively ends decades of Red terror in North Bastar, with only parts of South Bastar now remaining under Naxal influence.

The surrender, which includes 110 women and 98 men, marks a major breakthrough in the government’s Naxal Eradication and Rehabilitation Policy 2025. Officials said the policy — built on development, dialogue, and trust — is proving instrumental in persuading militants to abandon the armed struggle and rejoin society.

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Those who laid down arms comprise various ranks of the banned CPI (Maoist) outfit: one Central Committee Member (CCM), four Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) members, one Regional Committee Member, 21 Divisional Committee Members, 61 Area Committee Members, 98 Party Members, and 22 PLGA/RPC/other cadres.

They also surrendered 153 weapons, including 19 AK-47 rifles, 17 SLRs, 23 INSAS rifles, one INSAS LMG, 36 .303 rifles, four carbines, 11 BGL launchers, 41 single-shot or 12-bore guns, and one pistol.

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Among the key leaders to give up arms were Rupesh alias Satish (Central Committee Member), Bhaskar alias Rajman Mandavi, Ranita, Raju Salam, Dhannu Vetti alias Santu (all DKSZC Members), and Ratan Elam (Regional Committee Member).

Officials said the unprecedented scale of this surrender will significantly weaken the Maoist network in Bastar, once considered the core of the insurgency, and give a major push to peace and development initiatives in the Dandakaranya region.

They described the event as “a historic step toward lasting peace and the beginning of a new chapter” for the state’s most affected areas.

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