In a significant win against Left Wing Extremism, 51 Maoist cadres laid down their arms and surrendered to security forces in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh. Among the 51, twenty individuals carried a collective bounty totaling Rs 66 lakh, underscoring their former roles within the insurgent groups. This mass surrender, which also included nine women, is seen as a major boost for peace and rehabilitation efforts in the region. Officials highlighted that the Maoists were swayed by the government’s effective rehabilitation policies and the visible developmental progress taking place across Bastar. Their decision to abandon violence is a testament to the state’s strategy of fostering peace, dialogue, and development to combat Naxalism. The surrendered individuals were part of various key Maoist units, including the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) battalion number 01, area committees, platoons, and lower-rung operatives. Their integration back into society is facilitated by the ‘Poona Margem – Punarwas se Punarjeevan’ initiative, a program designed by the Bastar Range Police to reintegrate former rebels into mainstream life. This initiative continues to show success, with Bijapur alone seeing 650 Maoist surrenders since January 2024.
