Maoists are facing a series of major setbacks. Just a day after top Maoist leader Mallojula Venugopal Rao surrendered before Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, as many as 170 Maoists laid down their arms in Chhattisgarh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced.
In a detailed post on X, Amit Shah revealed that 27 Maoists surrendered in Chhattisgarh and 61 in Maharashtra, joining the mainstream. With these developments, a total of 258 Maoists have surrendered within two days, marking a significant milestone in the fight against left-wing extremism, Shah said.
He congratulated those who gave up violence and expressed faith in the Indian Constitution, calling it a reflection of the Modi government’s efforts to eradicate Naxalism. Shah reiterated the government’s stance — those who surrender will be welcomed, but those who continue armed rebellion will face the full force of security agencies.
Appealing to remaining Maoists, he urged them to abandon the path of violence and return to normal life. He reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to completely eliminate Naxalism by March 31, 2026.
The Home Minister also hailed the declaration of Abujhmad and North Bastar — once Maoist strongholds — as liberated zones. He added that only a few areas in South Bastar still have Maoist presence, which will soon be cleared by security forces.
Since the BJP came to power in Chhattisgarh in January 2024, Shah noted that 2,100 Maoists have surrendered, 1,785 have been arrested, and 477 have been neutralized by the forces.
₹1 crore bounty on Vasudeva Rao
Among those who surrendered are several senior Maoist leaders, including Satish alias T. Vasudeva Rao (CCM), who carried a ₹1 crore reward on his head. Others include Ranitha (SZCM & Mad DVC Secretary), Bhaskar (DVCM, PL-32), Neela alias Nande (DVCM, IC & Nelnar AC Secretary), and Deepak Palo (DVCM, IC & Indravati AC Secretary).
Sources said Maoists with SZCM rank had bounties of ₹25 lakh each, DVCMs carried rewards of ₹10–15 lakh, while ACMs had ₹5 lakh rewards.
