Raipur, July 12 : In a breakthrough in Chhattisgarh's anti-Naxal campaign, 23 Maoists, carrying a Rs 1.18 crore reward, surrendered before senior police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officials in Sukma district on Saturday.

The surrendered cadres carried a cumulative bounty of Rs 1.18 crore, with 11 of them listed as senior operatives in the Maoist hierarchy.

Among the group was Podiam Bhima alias Lokesh, a divisional committee member accused of orchestrating the 2012 abduction of Sukma's first collector, Alex Paul Menon.

The surrender marks a significant blow to the Maoist stronghold in Bastar, where intensified operations have led to both high-profile encounters and a growing wave of defections.

State Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai reacted on his X handle that Bastar is undergoing a profound transformation.

The echoes of gunfire are fading, replaced by the steady voice of democracy, now resonating across the region, he said.

On Saturday, 23 Naxalites with a combined bounty of Rs 1 crore 18 lakh surrendered in Sukma district.

Including earlier surrenders in Narayanpur, the past 24 hours alone have seen 45 insurgents abandon violence and place their trust in democratic progress. These developments are more than symbolic - they reflect growing faith in the government's efforts to reach even the most remote areas through inclusive development schemes like Niyyad Nella Nar.

"The numbers speak volumes. Over the past 15 months, 1,521 Naxalites have laid down arms, a testament to shifting mindsets driven by a vision for peace and prosperity. This wave of change is also fueled by the state's updated 2025 surrender and rehabilitation policy, which has offered former insurgents a viable path into the mainstream through education, housing, and livelihood opportunities," he said.

These milestones echo the broader goal of building a Naxalism-free Chhattisgarh under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the strategic direction of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

With targeted governance and people-centric initiatives, the state edges closer to a future defined not by conflict but by unity, growth, and transformation.

Hardcore Naxalite DVCM Lokesh alias Podiyam Bhima had a reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head. He is also the commander of the South Sub-Zonal Bureau team. He was involved in the kidnapping of the collector in 2012, the Burkapal attack in 2017 and the Tekalguda encounter in 2021. As many as 46 soldiers were martyred in these two incidents. He has also killed other soldiers by being involved in different incidents. Among the Naxalites who surrendered, Ramesh alias Kamalu is the security guard of CCM and Maoist Madvi Hidma, who has a reward of Rs 1 crore on his head.

Madvi Joga is the guard of BNPC Raje alias Rajakka, Nuppo Lachu is the guard of SZCM (State Zonal Committee Member) Sannu Dada.

Now, the police believe that they have worked with big cadres, so they can make big revelations about the Maoist organisation.

The group included one DVCM (Divisional Committee Member), six People's Party Committee Members, four Area Committee members, and 12 lower-rank party members. Rewards ranged from Rs 8 lakh to Rs 1 lakh, reflecting their varying levels of involvement in insurgent activities.

Police officials confirmed that many of the surrendered cadres were active in the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) battalion number 1, considered the most formidable military wing of the Maoists. Their decision to lay down arms was reportedly driven by disillusionment with the Maoist ideology, internal factionalism, and the atrocities committed against tribal communities.

The state's updated surrender and rehabilitation policy, along with development initiatives like the Niyad Nellnar scheme, have played a pivotal role in encouraging such transitions.

The Maoists surrendered in the presence of CRPF DIGs (deputy inspector general) Anand Singh Rajpurohit and Syed Mohammad Habib Asgar, along with Sukma SP Kiran Chavan. Each surrendered cadre received Rs 50,000 in immediate assistance and will be rehabilitated under the government's policy, which includes housing, education, and vocational training. Among the group were Ramesh alias Kalmu Kesa, Kavasi Masa, Praveen alias Sanjeev alias Madkam Hunga, Nuppo Gangi, Punem Deve, each designated as PPCMs or Platoon Company Commanders.

Additional party members, including Parski Pandey and Madvi Joga from the PLGA, also surrendered, both of whom carried equal rewards. The list also featured Nuppo Lachhu alias Laxman, known as the guard of the PLGA Battalion Headquarters under SZCM Sannu Dada, and Podiyam Sukhram, a member of the PLGA Battalion No. 1. Another key individual, Dudhi Bhima, served as a deputy commander of Platoon 4. Four ACMs, or Area Committee Members, Muchaki Ranauti alias Hidme, Kalmu Dula, Dudhi Mangali, and Siddharth alias Madvi Inda, each had Rs 5 lakh rewards, reflecting their strategic involvement in Naxal operations.

The surrender also included lower-rank party members such as Hemla Rama (Rs 3 lakh) and seven others - Sodi Hidme, Kawasi Joga, Rupa alias Bhime, Gagan alias Kartam Dudwa, Kawasi Hungi, Karam Bhima, and Madkam Nande- each carrying a Rs 1 lakh reward. This coordinated defection sends a clear message of dissent within the insurgent ranks.

Disillusionment with the ideology, internal rifts, and increasing outreach of state rehabilitation initiatives have encouraged even hardcore Maoist cadres to choose the path of reintegration.

This development follows the surrender of 22 Maoists in Narayanpur district just a day earlier, bringing the total number of Maoists who have laid down arms under the current government to over 1,476.

Officials believe these back-to-back surrenders signal a weakening of the Maoist network in Bastar and a shift toward peace and reintegration.

/IANS