210 Maoist cadres, including one Central Committee member, four DKSZC (Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee) members, and 21 Divisional Committee members, along with several senior leaders, gave up arms and returned to the mainstream.
A historic chapter was written today in Chhattisgarh’s Naxal-affected Dandakaranya region, as 210 Maoist cadres, including one Central Committee member, four DKSZC (Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee) members, and 21 Divisional Committee members, along with several senior leaders, gave up arms and returned to the mainstream. This is being described as the largest-ever collective Maoist surrender in the country’s history.
The formal reintegration ceremony was held today in Jagdalpur in the presence of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that this remarkable change reflects the success of the development and trust-based policies being implemented under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said, “This surrender embodies the spirit of ‘Poona Margem: Punarvas Se Punarjeevan’ — rehabilitation leading to rebirth. Guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the state government is committed to connecting every section of society with the mainstream of peace and development. This historic step is proof that our approach based on trust, dialogue, and development — not violence — is yielding results.”
The surrender ceremony, themed “Poona Margem: From Rehabilitation to Rebirth”, represents a landmark success of the Government’s Naxal Eradication Policy 2025, achieved through the coordinated efforts of the police, security forces, local administration, and the community.
The surrendering Maoists handed over a total of 153 weapons, including AK-47 rifles, SLRs, INSAS rifles, and LMGs, marking the symbolic end of armed struggle and the beginning of a new era of peace in the region.
Among the top Maoists who surrendered are: 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), Ratan Elam (RCM Member). 
As per the Home Minister, 170 Naxalites surrendered in Chhattisgarh on Thursday, while 27 had laid down arms in the same state a day earlier. Another 61 cadres surrendered in Maharashtra on Wednesday.
What Chhattisgarh Chief Minister said
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said that north Bastar and Abujhmad have been declared completely free from Naxalism, marking a defining moment in Chhattisgarh’s journey towards peace and development. He said that the transformation of these regions, once synonymous with fear, into symbols of trust and progress proves that “Bastar is no longer a land of violence, but a land of hope.”
Chief Minister Sai reiterated that the goal of achieving a Naxal-free Chhattisgarh by March 31, 2026, is now within striking distance. He credited this breakthrough to the state’s “Naxalite Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy 2025” and the “Niyad Nella Nar Yojana.”
This comes in the backdrop of Malloujula Venugopal Rao alias Sonu, a senior CPI (Maoist) leader and its Politburo member, laying down weapons along with 60 Maoist cadres in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli, signalling a potential move towards peace with the Centre.
(With inputs from ANI)