Seven Maoists belonging to the Udanti Area Committee of the CPI (Maoist) surrendered to police in Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband district on Friday, officials confirmed. The surrender is a major breakthrough for security forces in the region, which has seen prolonged Maoist activity along the forested borders of Gariaband, Mahasamund, and Odisha’s Nuapada and Nabarangpur districts.
#WATCH | Gariyaband, Chhattisgarh: 7 naxals carrying a bounty of a total of Rs 37 lakhs on their head, surrender before the Gariyaband police. pic.twitter.com/w4F2HgJvac
— ANI (@ANI) November 7, 2025
The seven cadres, who carried a combined bounty of Rs 37 lakh, have been identified as Sule alias Jagat Singh, Arjita Tekam alias Suresha, Vidhya Sodi alias Jamli, Budhru alias Anita, Nandni, Mallesh, and Kanti alias Mavali. During their surrender, the Maoists handed over six firearms to the authorities, police said in a statement.
Sule and Arjita, both members of the divisional committee, had bounties of Rs 8 lakh each. Vidhya, the deputy commander, carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh, while Budhru, Nandni, and Kanti, all active area committee members, were valued at Rs 5 lakh each. Mallesh, another party member, had a Rs 1 lakh bounty.
“All seven were associated with the banned outfit for more than a decade and had been involved in multiple violent incidents and encounters with security forces between 2018 and 2025 in Gariaband and adjoining regions,” said Inspector General of Police, Raipur range, Amresh Mishra.
Under Chhattisgarh’s surrender policy, the Maoists will receive financial assistance, housing, educational support, and employment opportunities to facilitate their reintegration into society. Police added that the decision to give up arms stemmed from growing disillusionment with the Maoist ideology.
Officials said the surrender sends a strong message to other cadres in the region and reflects the effectiveness of targeted anti-Maoist operations combined with rehabilitation incentives. Authorities are hopeful that the move will strengthen public confidence in government efforts and further weaken the operational capacity of Maoist groups in the border districts.
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