TFP Bureau, Raipur, January 7, 2026: Marking a significant breakthrough in the fight against Left Wing Extremism, as many as 26 hardcore Maoists carrying a cumulative bounty of ₹64 lakh surrendered in Sukma district on Wednesday, signalling a major shift towards peace and normalcy in the Bastar division. Among those who laid down arms were seven women cadres, officials said.
Welcoming the development, Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai said the surrender was not merely a security achievement but a victory of trust, dialogue and humane governance. “Bastar is changing. A new Bastar is emerging—one that is moving swiftly towards peace, trust and development,” he said, adding that fear, which once dominated the region, is now being replaced by confidence in the democratic system.
The Chief Minister attributed the success to the balanced security strategy and sensitive rehabilitation policy being implemented in Chhattisgarh under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the firm resolve of Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah. He said the state’s focused approach has created an environment where misguided youth feel encouraged to abandon violence and return to society.
Referring to the state’s flagship surrender and rehabilitation initiative, “Poona Margham – Revival by Rehabilitation,”Shri Sai said the campaign has rekindled hope among youths who had earlier fallen into the grip of Naxal ideology. The policy, he noted, offers a dignified alternative by combining security assurance with livelihood support and social reintegration.
The Chief Minister highlighted that sustained efforts such as the establishment of new security camps, improved road connectivity, reliable electricity supply, expansion of education facilities and strengthened healthcare services have begun to transform the Bastar region. He said the direct reach of governance to remote and previously inaccessible areas has played a crucial role in building public trust.
“Today, it is not the echo of fear, but the voice of trust that resonates across Bastar,” Shri Sai said. He assured the surrendered Maoists that the government’s doors remain open to all those who renounce violence. They will be provided security, rehabilitation benefits and opportunities for a respectable livelihood, he added.
Reiterating the state’s long-term vision, the Chief Minister said a permanent solution to the Naxal problem lies in the combined approach of security, development and trust. Appealing to the remaining Maoist cadres to return to the mainstream, he urged them to choose the path of peace, family and progress, assuring full support from the government.
With each surrender, Shri Sai said, the resolve for a Naxal-free Chhattisgarh is growing stronger, and Bastar is steadily moving towards a future defined by stability, opportunity and inclusive development.
