Jagdalpur, March 11: In a significant setback to the Maoist movement in Chhattisgarh, 108 cadres associated with the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) surrendered before security forces in the Bastar region on Wednesday. The surrendered group includes 44 women, with the state having previously declared a combined reward of ₹3.29 crore on their heads.

Director General of Police (DGP) Arun Dev Gautam announced the development during a press conference at the Shaurya Bhawan Police Coordination Centre in Jagdalpur. The mass surrender comes as the central government’s deadline to eliminate Left Wing Extremism (LWE) by 31 March 2026 approaches.

Following the surrender, security forces conducted targeted operations based on intelligence inputs to recover a massive cache of arms and valuables from Maoist dumps. Officials confirmed the seizure of 101 weapons, including AK-47 rifles, INSAS rifles, light machine guns, and Barrel Grenade Launchers (BGLs).

The recovery also included substantial financial assets belonging to the outlawed organisation. Police recovered ₹3.61 crore in cash and approximately one kilogram of gold, valued at nearly ₹1.64 crore, from a single hideout.

Among the high-ranking cadres who joined the mainstream are Rahul Telam, Pandru Kowasi, and Jhitru Oyam from the West Bastar Division. Other prominent names include Ramdhar alias Biru of the East Bastar Division Committee, Mallesh from North Bastar, and PLGA Battalion No. 1 CPC commander Muchaki.

Police attributed the influx of surrenders to the “Puna Narkom” (New Dawn) and rehabilitation initiatives. Official data reveals that 2,714 Maoist cadres have abandoned violence in Chhattisgarh over the last 26 months. In Bastar division alone, 2,625 Maoists surrendered between 1 January 2024 and 9 March 2026.

In a related development in Odisha’s Kandhamal, 10 Maoists including state committee member Sanu Potam alias Neetu surrendered. Although operating in Odisha, officials confirmed the cadres are originally from Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region.