KANKER (CHHATTISGARH), 25 February (H.S.): A senior Maoist operative and another cadre have reached out to security forces expressing intent to abandon violence and surrender in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district, police announced Wednesday, underscoring the state's aggressive anti-Naxal campaign.This development follows a surge in surrenders, with over 2,700 Naxalites laying down arms across Chhattisgarh in the past two years amid sustained operations and rehabilitation incentives.
The forthcoming capitulation aligns with recent high-profile defections, including dreaded commander Mallesh—who carried an Rs 8 lakh bounty—surrendering in nearby Bastar just days prior.Surrender Surge ContextChhattisgarh's BJP government reports 477 Maoists neutralised, 1,785 arrested, and 2,110 surrendered since taking office, targeting a Naxal-free state by March 31, 2026. Community outreach by villagers and social workers has proven pivotal, complementing intensified security sweeps in remote areas like Kanker and Abujhmad—now declared Maoist-free zones.
These voluntary surrenders signal fracturing morale within CPI(Maoist) ranks, pressured by encounters eliminating top leaders and attractive rehabilitation packages offering Rs 50,000 incentives plus job training.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
