51 Maoists surrender in Bastar with ₹1.61 crore bounty
51 Maoists surrender in Bastar with ₹1.61 crore bounty
Over 50 Maoists surrendered in Sukma and Bijapur with a combined ₹1.61 crore reward, praised as a boost to rehabilitation-led peace in Bastar.
In Bastar's Sukma and Bijapur districts, 51 Maoists surrendered before the police on Saturday, carrying a collective bounty of ₹1.61 crore. Of the surrendering cadres, 30 were in Bijapur (including 20 women) and 21 were in Sukma (including 14 women), with 34 women in total among the group. They joined the mainstream under the Bastar police’s Poona Margem rehabilitation-to-social reintegration initiative.
The surrender occurred as Bastar Pandum 2026 festival was inaugurated in Jagdalpur by President Droupadi Murmu, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah arriving in Raipur for a three-day visit. The event underscored a broader security and development push in the region, with authorities highlighting coordinated efforts by security forces and local administration.
Among those who laid down arms were prominent names such as Boti Podiyam alias Malla (23), Sukhram Madkam (24), and Reena Punem (25), all from different Maoist units, who carried rewards of ₹8 lakh each. Officials said the surrender reflected disillusionment with Maoist ideology and a strong appeal of the state government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy. The move is framed as the result of a comprehensive anti-Maoist policy, sustained security operations, and a focus on peace, dialogue and development.
Experts view the development as a potential turning point for Bastar, framing it within ongoing efforts to create stability and economic opportunity in the region. While celebrations and political messaging accompany the event, the real test lies in long-term reintegration, livelihoods for surrendered cadres, and preventing a relapse into violence.
