Joint Police Operations Force Surrender of 4 Maoists in Sukma

 

4 Maoist cadres, carrying a combined bounty of Rs 8 lakh, surrendered with automatic weapons in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on January 30 after joint operations by state and Andhra Pradesh police.

 

The surrender took place under the Poona Margem Rehabilitation campaign, led jointly by Sukma district police and Alluri Sitarama Raju district police of Andhra Pradesh. The cadres operated under the Konta Kistaram Area Committee in the South Bastar division and included 2 women.

 

Police officials confirmed that the surrendered cadres handed over SLR, INSAS, .303 and .315 bore rifles along with live ammunition. The group included a Gollapalli Local Organisation Squad commander and 3 party members. Authorities identified all 4 as active members involved in multiple criminal cases.

 

Senior officers from the Bastar range and Sukma district witnessed the surrender. The officials present included Bastar Range Inspector General P Sundarraj, Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan, IPS officer Pankaj Meena serving as OSD in Alluri Sitarama Raju district, Sukma Additional Superintendent of Police Rohit Shah, and CRPF Konta Range second-in-command Arvind P Anand.

 

 

Police officials stated that continuous anti-Naxal operations and the establishment of new security camps in remote areas led to the surrender. Improved road connectivity and sustained presence of security forces restricted the movement of Maoist cadres and reduced their operational space in the Kistaram and Gollapalli regions.

 

According to police, earlier the Maoist organisation created fear in interior villages and misled local residents. However, expanding development works and access to government welfare schemes strengthened public trust in the administration. This shift weakened the Maoist influence and caused growing disillusionment within the organisation.

 

 

The surrendered cadres include Sodhi Joga, a resident of Singhanmadgu village under Kistaram police station, who served as Gollapalli LOS commander and carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh. He deposited an SLR rifle with 10 rounds. Dabar Ganga, also known as Madkam Ganga, a Golapalli LOS member from Singaram village, carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh and surrendered an INSAS rifle with eight rounds.

 

The other 2 cadres include Sodhi Raje from Antapad village under Chintagufa police station, who deposited a .303 rifle with five rounds, and Madvi Budhri from Singhanmadgu village, who surrendered a .315 bore rifle with five rounds. Each carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh. Police stated that all four face questioning in connection with eight criminal cases.

 

 

Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan said the police continued to appeal to remaining cadres to abandon violence and surrender under the state’s rehabilitation policy. Bastar Range Inspector General P Sundarraj said the Puna Margem campaign offered a path towards development and dignity, while violence only led to destruction.

 

Police confirmed that the surrendered cadres would receive rehabilitation, financial assistance and other facilities as per the Chhattisgarh government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy.