12 Maoists with Rs 46 lakh bounty surrender in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur

Twelve Maoist cadres , including eight women , surrendered to the police in Bijapur district on Thursday, carrying a collective bounty of Rs 46 lakh, officials said. The surrender took place under the Bastar police’s ‘Poona Margem’ initiative , aimed at rehabilitation and social reintegration of Naxalites, said Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Yadav .

The cadres, part of the South Sub-Zonal Bureau of the Maoists, were reportedly motivated by the state government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy. Among them, Somadu Madkam (42) , a divisional committee member in charge of the Katekalyan area, along with Hungi Kunjam (19) and Payaki Kunjam (22), both party members from different units, carried a bounty of Rs 8 lakh each. Three others had rewards of Rs 5 lakh each, one had Rs 2 lakh, and the remaining five carried Rs 1 lakh each.

The surrendered Maoists handed over an AK-47 rifle, two Self Loading Rifles (SLRs), 250 gelatin sticks, 400 detonators, a drum of gunpowder, and a bundle of cordex wire. Each cadre will receive immediate assistance of Rs 50,000, followed by further rehabilitation under the government policy.

888 Naxalites have surrendered , 1,163 were arrested, and 231 killed in Bijapur, showing a steady decline in Maoist strength. Inspector General of Police Sundarraj Pattilingam said the organisation’s influence is shrinking due to security camps, improved connectivity, successful operations, and development schemes.

With over 220 surrenders so far this year , and only a small core of 300-350 armed cadres remaining, mostly in remote forest areas, Pattilingam urged fighters to abandon violence, noting that initiatives like ‘Poona Margem’ offer peace, dignity, and a secure future. The Centre aims to eliminate Naxalism by March 31, 2026 , and officials remain confident that continued surrenders and operations will neutralise the movement.