Nagpur/Gadchiroli: In a significant blow to the Naxals movement, twelve Naxal cadres, collectively carrying a bounty of Rs 1.12 crore, surrendered before Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis during his visit to Gadchiroli on Friday. Two surrendered in their uniform along with an AK-47 rifle and other weapons.
Fadnavis was on an official visit to the district. He reviewed security operations at the newly established Police Station at Kawande in Bhamragad sub-division, on the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border, which was set up in March last year.
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The CM also flagged off 19 new four-wheelers provided to Gadchiroli Police by the District Planning Committee for anti-Naxal operations. According to official data, 55 Naxals have laid down arms in Gadchiroli since 2022, 34 of them in 2025 alone.
The event, attended by State Minister and Gadchiroli’s Co-Guardian Minister Ashish Jaiswal, marks a milestone in the state’s ongoing efforts to curb Naxalism through its surrender and rehabilitation policy, in place since 2005. The surrendered Naxals include high-ranking members, including Sapna alias Swapnakka Buchayya Chaudhary, 55, a divisional committee member (DVCM) of the Indravati Area, Ramdas alias Somaji Halami, 55, DVCM of Kutul area committee, and Shivlal alias Sukalu Pada, 60, DVCM of Kutul Dalam, among others.
The group also comprised commanders, deputy commanders, and members of various Naxal units, hailing from Gadchiroli and neighbouring districts in Chhattisgarh. Since 2005, 704 Maoists have surrendered before Gadchiroli police, reflecting the success of the state’s dual approach of security operations and rehabilitation.Earlier this year, on January 1, around 11 hardened Naxals, including Tarakka Sidam of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, had also surrendered before Chief Minister Fadnavis, further weakening the Naxal stronghold.
Tarakka’s husband, Bhupathi alias Sonu, a veteran guerrilla, is yet to surrender despite seeking truce with security forces.CM Fadnavis lauded efforts of the Gadchiroli police and emphasized the importance of rehabilitation in reintegrating former Naxals into society. He also appreciated efforts of Lloyds Metal and Energy Limited (LMEL) and their corporate social responsibility initiatives to rehabilitate surrendered Naxals.
Speaking at the felicitation ceremony of C-60 jawans in Gadchiroli, Fadnavis said, “I congratulate Lloyds Metals for training and providing employment to surrendered Naxals, which has increased their confidence.”Being an equal opportunity employer, LMEL has employed 65 surrendered Maoists, who are working in different capacities in the company in Gadchiroli district. Of 13 surrendered Naxalites who tied nuptial knots today, at least seven are working with Lloyds Metals.
On the deadline to eliminate Naxalism, he said, “Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has pledged that we will make the country Naxal-free by March 2026. So, good work is going on on that front. Maharashtra has taken this to its last stretch. But the problem was that large-scale recruitment took place in Chhattisgarh, and Naxals came from there to carry out their operations here in Gadchiroli. Now, the new government in Chhattisgarh, in collaboration with the Centre, has broken the back of the Naxals. Soon, we will fill the security vacuum in the entire area, there will be Police dominance, and we will be able to achieve this by March 2026.”
