Daijiworld Media Network - Raipur

Raipur, Oct 18: In another significant blow to Maoist insurgency in Chhattisgarh, a top female commander, Geeta alias Kamli Salam, surrendered to police on Saturday in Kondagaon district, marking yet another defection in what appears to be a turning tide in the region’s decades-long conflict.

Geeta, who held the position of tailor team commander in the Maoist East Bastar Division and carried a bounty of Rs 5 lakh, turned herself in to Superintendent of Police Akshay Kumar. Her decision, authorities say, was driven by growing disillusionment with the movement, internal rifts within the ranks, and inspiration drawn from Friday’s historic mass surrender in Jagdalpur, where 210 Maoists — including key leaders — laid down arms.

The Jagdalpur event, attended by chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai, was seen as a landmark in the government’s evolving strategy of combining security pressure with dialogue, rehabilitation, and grassroots development. Rebels symbolically embraced the Indian Constitution and surrendered 153 weapons, ranging from AK-47s to grenade launchers — a striking contrast to the region’s violent past.

Geeta’s surrender is particularly significant as it reflects the spreading impact of that momentum. According to police, intensified anti-Naxal operations and the visible collapse of ideological unity among cadres are pushing many towards rejoining mainstream society. Officials added that Geeta, like others before her, will be rehabilitated under the Chhattisgarh Naxalism Eradication Policy, beginning with an immediate incentive of Rs 50,000 and access to long-term reintegration benefits.

Over the past three days alone, 238 Maoists have surrendered — a number that security forces believe could signal a watershed moment in the state’s fight against Left-Wing Extremism. What was once a deeply entrenched insurgency in the Bastar region now seems to be fracturing from within, with morale at an all-time low and state outreach efforts finding real traction.

Geeta’s solitary but symbolic return to civilian life represents more than a personal decision — it mirrors the broader reckoning of a movement losing both ground and purpose. As the government pushes forward with its dual strategy of force and reconciliation, her story may become a catalyst for others still holding out in the forests.