21 Maoists Surrender with 18 Weapons in Chhattisgarh: Major Breakthrough in Poona Margem Rehabilitation Initiative

A group of 21 Maoist operatives surrendered to authorities in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district on Sunday, voluntarily handing over 18 weapons as part of their surrender process.

The surrender occurred under the 'Poona Margem: Rehabilitation through Reintegration' initiative, a program established by the Bastar Range police to facilitate the reintegration of former insurgents into mainstream society.

Among those who surrendered was Division Committee Secretary Mukesh, a significant figure in the local Maoist hierarchy. The group included 13 female insurgents, highlighting the diverse composition of the surrendering cadres.

According to police officials, the surrendered group comprised four divisional committee members, nine area committee members, and eight individuals from lower ranks of the banned organization. All members belonged to the Kuemari/Kiskodo Area Committee of the Keshkal Division (North Sub-Zonal Bureau) of the Communist Party of India (Maoist).

The arsenal surrendered by the group included sophisticated weaponry: three AK-47 rifles, two INSAS rifles, four SLR rifles, six .303 rifles, two single-shot rifles, and one Barrel Grenade Launcher (BGL).

This surrender follows a significant earlier development on October 17, when 210 Naxalites, including Central Committee Member Rupesh (also known as Satish), surrendered in Jagdalpur in Bastar district. That group carried a cumulative reward of Rs 9.18 crore on their heads and surrendered 153 weapons.

Prior to that, on October 2, another 103 Naxalites surrendered in Bijapur district of the Bastar region, with 49 of them carrying collective bounties exceeding Rs 1.06 crore.