37 Naxalites surrender in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada; 27 of them carried Rs 65 lakh bounty

Dantewada: Thirty-seven Naxalites, 27 of them collectively carrying a reward of Rs 65 lakh, surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district on Sunday, police said.

The cadres, including 12 women, turned themselves in before senior police and CRPF officials here as part of the "Poona Margem" (from rehabilitation to social reintegration) initiative, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai said.

The initiative, launched by Bastar range police, has been emerging as a transformative drive for establishing lasting peace, dignity and comprehensive progress in Bastar region, he said.

The key cadres among those who surrendered include Kumali alias Anita Mandavi, Geeta alias Lakshmi Madkam, Ranjan alias Soma Mandavi and Bhima alias Jahaj Kalmu. All of them carried a reward of Rs 8 lakh each, the official said.

Under the government's rehabilitation policy, the cadres who have surrendered will be provided instant assistance of Rs 50,000 each along with other facilities, like training for skill development, agricultural land, etc, he said.

Inspired by the surrender and rehabilitation policies of the Centre and the state government, more than 508 Maoists, 165 of them carrying a reward, have quit violence and joined the social mainstream in Dantewada district over the past 20 months, the official said.

A large number of Maoists, from senior leaders to active cadres in their base areas, have left the outlawed organisation, Rai said.

In the last 23 months, more than 2,200 Naxalites, including top cadres, have surrendered in Chhattisgarh, according to police.

The Centre has resolved to eliminate Naxalism from the country by March 2026.