Sukma (Chhattisgarh) [India], April 18: In a significant development in the fight against insurgency, 22 Naxals, including nine women, surrendered in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh on Friday. The surrender took place in the presence of Superintendent of Police Kiran Gangaram Chavan.
Addressing the media, SP Chavan stated that the surrendered individuals, who belong to Maad (Chhattisgarh) and Nuapada (Odisha) divisions, would be extended all benefits under the government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy. He noted that several of the Naxals held different ranks within the organization, with cash bounties ranging from ₹5 lakh to ₹8 lakh.
This comes shortly after 26 Maoists, including three with cash rewards, laid down arms earlier this week in Dantewada, as part of the ongoing ‘Lon Varratu’ (Come Home) campaign. The surrender was facilitated by a collaborative effort between district police, CRPF, and the state’s special rehabilitation program.
Under the state’s new rehabilitation policy, surrendered Naxals receive ₹50,000 in immediate assistance, along with access to skill development training, agricultural land, and housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai recently credited the success of the surrender drives to the government’s proactive rehabilitation policies. Speaking at the ‘Vichaar for Viksit Chhattisgarh’ conclave, CM Sai said,
“About 1,314 Naxalites have surrendered so far. We’re providing 15,000 PMAY accommodations, skill development, and even government jobs in third and fourth-class roles based on qualifications.”
The Chief Minister emphasized that Naxalism is “breathing its last” in the state, as more insurgents are choosing to reintegrate into mainstream society through peaceful means.