On 26th October, 21 Naxals, including 13 women, surrendered in Kanker district of Bastar division after handing over 18 weapons that included AK-47 rifles. The cadres were part of the Keshkal Division (North Sub-Zonal Bureau) of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist).
#WATCH | Chhattisgarh: A total of 21 Maoist cadres with 18 weapons from the Kuemari/Kiskodo Area Committee of Keshkal Division (North Sub Zonal Bureau), including Division Committee Secretary Mukesh, have come forward to join the mainstream. 4 DVCM, 9 ACM and 8 Party Members… pic.twitter.com/Mvvtm7nejm
— ANI (@ANI) October 26, 2025
Surrender under Poona Margem initiative
The surrender took place under the ‘Poona Margem: Rehabilitation through Reintegration’ initiative launched by Bastar Range police to help Naxals return to mainstream life. According to officials, the group included several senior Maoist leaders, including Division Committee Secretary Mukesh, along with four Divisional Committee Members, nine Area Committee Members and eight lower-rung cadres from the Kuemari and Kiskodo Area Committees.
In a statement, Bastar Range Inspector General of Police, P Sundarraj, said the cadres had “rejected the path of violence and chosen peace and progress”, adding that their decision would “inspire others still trapped in the Maoist fold”. He reiterated that the police were focusing anti-Naxal operations on the few remaining Maoist pockets in Keshkal and South Bastar.
Cache of arms surrendered
The surrendered Naxals handed over a substantial cache of arms, including three AK-47 rifles, four SLRs, two INSAS rifles, six .303 rifles, two single-shot rifles and one Barrel Grenade Launcher (BGL). Officials said this was one of the largest weapons recoveries in recent months. Notably, on 17th October, 210 Naxals, including Central Committee Member Rupesh alias Satish, had surrendered in Jagdalpur, where 153 weapons were recovered.
#WATCH | Jagdalpur, Bastar, Chhattisgarh | On the surrender of 21 Maoist cadres in Kanker district, IG Bastar P Sundarraj says, "On October 26th, in the Kanker area of the Bastar division, 21 Maoist cadres from the Keshkal division, including Divisional Committee Secretary Mukesh… pic.twitter.com/iADATILPuz
— ANI (@ANI) October 26, 2025
Rehabilitation and state’s goal of Maoist-free Bastar
As part of their reintegration, the surrendered Maoists are being provided medical check-ups and will be rehabilitated under the state policy that includes housing, livelihood support and legal aid. Officials confirmed that legal formalities and verifications are underway.
Chhattisgarh has witnessed a record number of Maoist surrenders in the past two years, with over 2,100 cadres laying down arms since December 2023. The state government has reaffirmed its target of making Bastar completely Maoist-free by March 2026, calling this phase the “final leg” of the decades-long insurgency in the region. Home Minister Amit Shah has promised to make India Naxal-free by March 2026.
