Four Maoists, carrying a cumulative reward of ₹8 lakh on their heads, surrendered before police in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma on Thursday.
Police said the four, including two women, were being questioned. They added that they will be provided with financial assistance and other facilities under the government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy to help them reintegrate into society.
Police said the four surrendered with an SLR rifle, an INSAS rifle, a .303 rifle, and a .315 bore rifle, along with ammunition.
Officials said the newly-established security camps in Kistaram and Golapalli played a key role in the surrender. They said it improved road connectivity and sustained anti-Maoist operations, significantly curtailing the movement and operational space for Maoists.
Officials said Maoists built influence in remote villages through fear and misinformation. They added that the influence has weakened as government welfare schemes and development works have reached interior areas, strengthening public trust in the administration.
Sukma police superintendent Kiran Chavan appealed to the remaining armed Maoists to abandon violence and join the mainstream, saying it offered an opportunity for a dignified and peaceful life.
Inspector general (Bastar range) P Sundarraj said the Maoist organisation was nearing collapse due to sustained security operations and expanding development outreach in remote areas. “Violence has only brought destruction, while the Poona Margem [rehabilitation] campaign offers a path of development, dignity and reintegration into society,” he said. He urged other Maoists to follow suit. “Ensuring their security and future development is our responsibility.”
Hundreds of Maoists have surrendered and been killed amid heightened anti-Maoist operations. The Union government has set a March 31, 2026, deadline for ending the Left-wing insurgency. The killing of Maoist chief Nambala Kesava Rao, alias Basavaraju, in May last year marked the most significant success against the Left-wing insurgency in years.