RAIPUR: Sixteen Maoist cadres, including two active members of Peoples’ Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) company, surrendered in Sukma district, about 450 km south of Raipur on Monday.According to the police, six of the surrendered rebels were carrying a collective reward of Rs 25 lakh. With this, as many as 571 Maoists have surrendered so far in 2025 in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar. Interestingly, nine out of the 16 cadres belonging to Kerlapenda village panchayat falling under the Chintalnar police station limits. Police sources said these villagers were notably influenced by the Chhattisgarh government’s latest initiative that incentivises Maoist-free panchayats. Under the scheme, if any panchayat in the Naxal-affected area becomes Maoist-free, it will become entitled to get Rs 1 crore grant for local development works.According to the Sukma district police chief, all 16 cadres, including a woman cadre, surrendered before senior police and CRPF officials expressing their frustration with the “hollow and anti-people” ideology of the left-wing extremists.Among the notable names was Rita alias Dodi Sukki, an active member of the Central Regional Committee’s PLGA company no. 2, and Rahul Punem, a party member in PLGA battalion no. 1. Both carried a reward of Rs 8 lakh each, the SP said.The district police chief further noted that many of the surrendered rebels were inspired by the state’s Niyad Nellanar (Your Own Good Village) campaign, which not only promotes development in remote and conflict-hit areas but also strengthens the state’s broader surrender and rehabilitation policy.While part of the state’s formal Maoist Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy-2025, the Niyad Nellanar scheme has introduced a more targeted approach, leveraging local aspirations and infrastructure support to win over disillusioned Maoists. In several instances, the Chhattisgarh Police and central paramilitary forces have collaborated to engage with cadres and even senior Maoist leaders, urging them to abandon violence and rejoin mainstream society.
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