n a significant development in Chhattisgarh’s anti-Naxal campaign, 18 Naxals surrendered before the Sukma police on Monday. Among them were four members of the dreaded Battalion No. 1, a core combat unit of the CPI (Maoist), according to Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran G Chavan.
Speaking with Media, SP Chavan credited the mass surrender to the influence of the state government's "Niyad Nellanar" rehabilitation scheme. “A total of 18 Naxals have surrendered today. Of these, four are from Battalion No. 1. Naxals linked to four different battalions, including those active in South Bastar, have laid down arms,” he said.
The surrendered cadres will be eligible for benefits under the state government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy. These include financial assistance, housing, skill development training, and employment opportunities designed to help former rebels reintegrate into society.
“I appeal to all Naxals to surrender and take advantage of the government’s schemes. The state is committed to ensuring their rehabilitation and helping them lead a peaceful life,” Chavan added.
The "Niyad Nellanar" scheme, meaning Our Village, Our Future, is a flagship initiative launched by the Chhattisgarh government to provide a structured exit path for Naxals wishing to abandon the path of violence. It combines economic support with education and training to enable former Maoists to become productive members of society.
The latest surrender comes amid intensified operations by security forces across the Bastar region, long considered a Naxal stronghold.
The surrender in Sukma follows a major security triumph earlier this month in Narayanpur district. Home Minister Amit Shah announced that India’s most wanted Maoist leader, Nambala Keshavrao alias Basavaraju, was killed along with 26 other Maoists during a prolonged 50-hour gunbattle along the Narayanpur-Bijapur border.
Calling it a "landmark achievement," Shah said on social media platform X: “Today, our forces neutralized 27 dreaded Maoists, including Basavaraju, the General Secretary of CPI (Maoist)—the topmost leader and the backbone of the Naxal movement. This is the first time in three decades of Bharat’s fight against Naxalism that a leader of this rank has been eliminated. I salute our brave security forces for this major breakthrough.”
