Daijiworld Media Network - Raipur
Raipur, Aug 20: In a major breakthrough for Chhattisgarh’s anti-Naxal operations, eight Maoists — including top-ranking leaders with a combined bounty of Rs 30 lakh — have surrendered before the Narayanpur Superintendent of Police in the restive Abujhmad region, a known Maoist stronghold.
The surrender includes six men and two women, among them high-level operatives who have long been on the radar of security forces. The prominent names include DVCM Dr Sukhlal Jurri and PPCM Hurra alias Himanshu, each carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh, along with ACM Kamla Gota and ACM Raju Podiam alias Sunil, both with Rs 5 lakh on their heads. Four lower-rung cadres — Maniram Korram, Sukku Farsa alias Nagesh, Ramu Ram Poyam, and Deepa Punem — were also part of the surrender, each with a bounty of Rs 1 lakh.
Narayanpur SP Robinson Guria confirmed the surrender and announced that all eight would be provided Rs 50,000 each and full access to rehabilitation and reintegration facilities as part of the government’s ongoing Naxal surrender and rehabilitation policy. The development brings the total number of surrendered Maoists in Narayanpur this year to 148, signaling a potential shift in the decades-long insurgency.
What makes this surrender particularly significant is the frank condemnation of Maoist leadership by the defectors. During post-surrender questioning, Dr Sukhlal delivered a scathing criticism of the organization, accusing senior leaders of exploiting and misleading tribal communities.
“The top leaders are the true enemies of the Adivasis. They enslave Bastar’s people with false promises about protecting jal-jungle-jameen (water, forest, land),” he said.
Echoing his sentiments, female cadre Kamla Gota exposed the deeply entrenched gender exploitation within the Maoist ranks. “Life for women in the Maoist movement has become hell. Senior leaders treat them like personal property, using and discarding them at will,” she revealed.
Security officials view this surrender as not only a tactical win, but also a moral victory, citing growing disillusionment, internal power struggles, and ideological fatigue within the insurgent ranks. The exposure of systemic exploitation, especially of tribal and female members, has reportedly eroded the group’s legitimacy in the eyes of many locals.
“The pressure from sustained operations and the state’s consistent outreach efforts are finally paying off,” said a senior police official involved in the anti-Naxal campaign.
As more cadres come forward to lay down arms, authorities believe the tide may be turning in Chhattisgarh’s fight against one of India’s longest-running armed insurgencies.