Chhattisgarh: As security forces gain upper hand, Maoist leader urges cadres to surrender

Gariaband: Amid a wave of mass surrenders that has gripped Naxal strongholds in Chhattisgarh, a senior leader has issued a letter appealing to the cadres to lay down their arms and join the mainstream, citing the crippling blow to the network due to the relentless push by security forces.

Police have acknowledged the letter and appealed to Naxal cadres to shun violence.

The one-page communication in Hindi claimed that Sonu Dada (Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Bhupathi) surrendered after realising that the armed struggle was no longer feasible due to assertive security forces, organisational errors, and missed opportunities which weakened the Naxalites' ability to sustain guerrilla warfare.

Gariaband Superintendent of Police Nikhil Rakhecha has welcomed the letter, being shared with the media, that was issued in the name of Maoist leader Sunil of the Udanti Area Committee.

The police officer has appealed to all active Naxal cadres to join the mainstream and live a peaceful life.

The Udanti Area Committee is active in parts of Gariaband and adjoining regions along the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border.

The statement said that Sonu Dada (Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Bhupathi) and 60 cadres laid down their arms in Gadchiroli of Maharashtra on October 16, while another senior leader, Rupesh, surrendered with 209 cadres in Bastar on October 17.

All the surrendered Maoists handed over their weapons to authorities, it stated.

Bhupathi, a top Maoist strategist, carried a Rs 6 crore bounty on his head, according to police.

The letter further stated that Sonu Dada had released a booklet admitting that the armed campaign under current conditions was no longer feasible due to the growing pressure from security forces.

He (Sonu Dada) also acknowledged that organisational errors and missed opportunities had weakened the Naxalites' ability to sustain guerrilla warfare. The booklet issued by him has urged cadres to shift focus from armed struggle to participating in mass movements aimed at addressing public grievances, the letter stated.

The Udanti Area Committee expressed support for the decisions taken by Sonu and Rupesh and appealed to units in Gobra, Sinapali, Sonabeda-Dharambandha-Kholibatar (SDK) and Sitanadi areas to follow the suit.

"We have already lost many important comrades. It is time to make the right decision before it becomes too late," the letter said and called on cadres to surrender and raise issues of people through peaceful movements.

Reacting to the development, SP Rakhecha said, "We welcome this letter. It's a positive initiative. I appeal to active Naxalites in Udanti, Gobra, Sinapali, SDK and Sitanadi areas to surrender at the earliest. They can directly contact me without hesitation. We will ensure their safe return to their families".

The Naxal strongholds in Chhattisgarh, including the dreaded Abujhmad region, are falling apart due to aggressive drives launched by security forces, with the deadline to uproot Naxalism by March 31, 2026, drawing close.

The surrender by Bhupathi has prompted several armed guerrillas to surrender before security forces.

On Wednesday, 28 Maoist cadres surrendered in Sukma and Kondagaon districts of Chhattisgarh, followed by 210 Naxals, including Central Committee member Rupesh and 111 women, in Bastar district. The Bastar cadres carried a cumulative bounty of Rs 9.18 crore, police said.

The Dandakaranya region, which spans parts of south Chhattisgarh (Bastar) and adjoining areas of Odisha, Telangana, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, has long been a Maoist stronghold.

On October 16, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said 477 Naxalites had been neutralised in the past 22 months, while 2,110 others have surrendered, and 1,785 arrested.

"The goal of making Chhattisgarh Naxal-free by March 31, 2026, is now within reach," the Chief Minister said.