Dantewada, Nov 30 (IANS) In one of the largest Maoist surrenders in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada under the Lon Varratu and Poona Margem (Revival through Rehabilitation) programme, 37 Maoists, including 27 with a reward totalling Rs 65 lakh, have decided to renounce violence and return to the social mainstream, officials said on Sunday.  All 37 cadres cited complete faith in the Chhattisgarh Government’s 'Poona Margem (Revival through Rehabilitation)' policy as the reason for abandoning the path of violence and choosing to join the mainstream. The initiative, running under the direct guidance of senior officers of Chhattisgarh Police and CRPF, has gained widespread acceptance among cadres tired of life in the jungles.

Authorities said the Centre and the state government, including the Dantewada Police, local administration and the Central Reserve Police Force, remain fully committed to establishing peace, ensuring rehabilitation and advancing inclusive development in the region. Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj Pattilingam said the Poona Margem and Lon Varratu initiatives are emerging as a "transformative initiative towards lasting peace, dignity and overall progress" in Bastar. 

The 37 Maoists, including those with bounties, expressed their intention to join the mainstream and surrendered in the presence of Deputy Inspector General Dantewada Range Kamalochan Kashyap, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Territory) CRPF Dantewada Range Rakesh Chaudhary, Superintendent of Police Dantewada Gaurav Rai, Commandant 111th Battalion CRPF Gopal Yadav, Commandant 230th Battalion CRPF Anil Kumar Prasad, Commandant 80th Battalion CRPF Jitendra Kumar, Additional Superintendent of Police Dantewada Ramkumar Barman and Deputy Commandant Vimal (Intelligence Branch) at the DRG office in Dantewada.

Officials said the surrendered Maoists will receive an assistance amount of Rs 50,000 under the rehabilitation policy, along with additional support from the Chhattisgarh government, including skill development training and agricultural land. Twelve female Maoists were among those who surrendered, and a significant cache of weapons, ammunition and explosives was recovered from them, marking one of the biggest setbacks to the Maoist organisation in the Bastar region.

Police said many of the surrendered individuals had been hiding in the forests for several years, with bounties of up to Rs 5 lakh announced on several of them. Some had served as bodyguards and squad members of senior Maoist commanders. Speaking to reporters, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai said, "Our persistent efforts and the support of the local people have paid off. The Maoists, who are surrendering, are saying that it has become difficult for them to live in the forests. The police are reaching out everywhere, and even the villagers are no longer supporting them."

Officials noted that, inspired by the surrender and rehabilitation policy of the government, more than 508 Maoists, including 165 with bounties, have surrendered and joined the mainstream in Dantewada district over the last 20 months. A large number of Maoists, from senior leaders to active cadres in core areas, have left the organisation. Authorities described Sunday’s development as another decisive step toward a violence-free Bastar.