Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], October 19 (ANI): Following the mass surrender of Naxals, Chhattisgarh Police Inspector General (IG) Amresh Mishra categorically stated that Naxalites must either “surrender” or “face combat” and “welcome those who surrender”.
On Saturday, IG Mishra told ANI that, “An appeal has been made by Commander Sunil, committee secretary, urging Naxalites in the Dhamtari, Nuapada, and Gariaband divisions to surrender to the police after large-scale operations in Gariaband… We have a clear policy that Naxalites must either surrender or face combat, with a priority on surrender.”
“We welcome those who surrender and come to the mainstream. We provide them rehabilitation packages and use them to influence other youth in the region to join the mainstream as well. We are expecting to reduce the Naxalite presence in Gariaband and parts of Odisha,” he further added.
Earlier on Friday, in Chhattisgarh’s battle against Left Wing Extremism (LWE), 208 Naxalites surrendered at an event organised in Bastar’s Jagdalpur, holding the Indian Constitution as they were welcomed back into the mainstream.
According to officials, the surrendered group includes 110 women and 98 men, representing various ranks of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) organisation. Among them are one Central Committee Member (CCM), four Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) members, one Regional Committee Member, 21 Divisional Committee Members (DVCMs), 61 Area Committee Members (ACMs), 98 Party Members, and 22 PLGA/RPC/other cadres.
Among the top Maoist leaders who laid down arms were Rupesh alias Satish (Central Committee Member), Bhaskar alias Rajman Mandavi (DKSZC Member), Ranita (DKSZC Member), Raju Salam (DKSZC Member), Dhannu Vetti alias Santu (DKSZC Member), and Ratan Elam (Regional Committee Member).
During the operation, the Maoists surrendered 153 weapons, including 19 AK-47 rifles, 17 SLR rifles, 23 INSAS rifles, one INSAS LMG, 36 .303 rifles, four carbines, 11 BGL launchers, 41 twelve-bore or single-shot guns, and one pistol.
Officials hailed the surrender as one of the most significant breakthroughs in recent years, saying it underscores the growing success of the government’s Naxal Eradication and Rehabilitation Policy 2025, which combines development, dialogue, and trust-building measures to encourage militants to return to the mainstream.
With this, officials said, most of Abujhmad has been freed from Naxal influence, bringing an end to the decades-long “Red terror” in North Bastar.
“Only South Bastar now remains affected,” the top government officials said. (ANI)
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