More than 700 Maoists surrendered from 2005 to 2025 in Maharashtra

Mumbai: In what has come as a huge success to combat Naxalism, more than 700 outlawed Maoist cadres have surrendered and joined the mainstream and leading normal lives.

The surrender-cum-rehabilitation has come into force since 2005.

The Centre, which has set a deadline of March 31, 2026 to end Naxalism and the states from where the Red Corridor passes, has appealed for the CPI (Maoist) cadres to lay down their arms.

“The policy has been evolved, keeping in mind the specific geographical and social landscape to help those Naxalites who want to abjure violence, surrender, and join the mainstream. Surrender and rehabilitation policy is part of a multi-pronged conflict management and resolution strategy and is required to be implemented along with firm action by police against those who follow the path of violence,” official sources said.

“In Maharashtra, in 20 years, from 2005-2025, as many as 704 Maoists have surrendered,” officials of the Gadchiroli police said.

As far as rehabilitation is concerned, one of the finest examples is last week, when Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the state Home Minister and Guardian Minister of Gadchiroli, blessed 13 couples, who had surrendered, and got married during a mass marriage ceremony.

Two big surrenders took place in 2025 on January 1 and June 6 in the presence of Fadnavis, during his official tours of Gadchiroli.

This includes Sapana alias Sapanakka alias Swapna alias Papakka Buchayya Chaudhary, the Divisional Committee Member (DVCM), wanted for 17 crimes that have been registered against her including six encounters, two arsons and nine other crimes and carried a reward of 16 lakh on her head. Sapanakka is the wife of Geereddy Pavanananda Reddy, a top functionary of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZCM), an important division of CPI (Maoist).

The other big surrender was Vimala Chandra Sidam alias Tarakka, the wife of Communist Party of India (Maoist)’s Central Committee Member Bhupathi alias Sonu alias Venugopal alias Mallojula Venugopal. Tarakka joined the Naxal movement as a local squad member in 1986 and climbed ranks over 38 years to become a Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee member, participating in 35 encounters with security personnel.

The surrender policy is one of the answers to the Left Wing Extremism - and the government is banking on it even as CSR funds are being used to rehabilitate them.

The rehabilitation package in the revised policy includes an immediate grant of Rs 2.5 lakh for higher-ranked LWE cadres and Rs 1.5 lakh for middle/ lower ranked LWE cadres surrenderers to be kept in fixed deposits in their name, which may be withdrawn by the beneficiaries after completion of three years subject to good behaviour. They will also be imparted training in a trade/ vocation of their liking and a monthly stipend is paid.

Located in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, Gadchiroli is spread over 14,412 sq km.

The district is divided into six sub-divisions - Gadchiroli, Chamorshi, Aheri, Etapalli, Desaiganj and Kurkheda and each sub-division has two talukas.

There are three municipalities, nine Nagar Panchayats, 457 Gram Panchayats and 1688 Revenue villages in Gadchiroli.

The Gadchiroli police, the elite C60 commando team of the Anti-Naxalite Operation (ANO) and Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (COBRA) of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), have constantly mounted pressure on the outlaws.