What Happened
- A total of 51 Maoists, carrying a collective bounty of Rs 1.61 crore, surrendered before police in Chhattisgarh's Bastar division on 7 February 2026.
- Of the 51 surrendered cadres, 30 (including 20 women) surrendered in Bijapur district, while 21 (including 14 women) surrendered in neighbouring Sukma district; 34 of the 51 were women.
- The total number of Maoist surrenders in Chhattisgarh in 2026 (as of February) has reached approximately 300, with over 2,200 surrendering since 2024.
- The surrender coincided with the inauguration of the Bastar Pandum 2026 festival in Jagdalpur by President Droupadi Murmu, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah's three-day visit to Raipur.
- The government's stated deadline to achieve a "Naxal-free Bharat" is 31 March 2026, with intensified operations and surrender outreach in the final weeks.
Static Topic Bridges
Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy for Naxalites
The Chhattisgarh government approved the "Naxal Surrender/Victim Relief and Rehabilitation Policy-2025," replacing the earlier "Chhattisgarh Naxalism Eradication Policy-2023." This policy provides comprehensive financial incentives and rehabilitation support to encourage surrenders and facilitate reintegration of former Maoists into mainstream society.
- Cash incentive on surrender: Rs 50,000 per individual.
- Monthly financial assistance: Rs 10,000 per month for surrendered Naxalites.
- Weapon surrender incentives: Rs 5 lakh for an LMG (Light Machine Gun), Rs 4 lakh for an AK-47 rifle, Rs 2 lakh for INSAS or SLR rifles.
- Family encouragement incentive: Rs 50,000 to family members who facilitate the surrender of a Naxalite.
- Skill development training at designated centres with free food and accommodation; provisions for education and employment assistance.
- Total Naxalite surrenders in Chhattisgarh from 2000 to 2024: over 16,780.
Connection to this news: The mass surrender of 51 cadres, including a significant proportion of women who form the backbone of lower-level Maoist militia units, reflects the effectiveness of enhanced financial incentives under the 2025 policy combined with intensifying military pressure ahead of the March 2026 deadline.
Bastar Division: Geography and Security Significance
The Bastar division in southern Chhattisgarh, comprising seven districts (Bastar, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur, Sukma, and Kanker), has been the last major stronghold of the CPI (Maoist) insurgency. The region's terrain and demographics make it both the epicentre of Maoist activity and the primary theatre of India's counter-insurgency operations.
- Bastar division covers approximately 39,114 sq km with dense sal and teak forests, deep river valleys (Indravati, Sabari), and limited road connectivity, providing natural cover for insurgent operations.
- The population is predominantly tribal (over 70% Scheduled Tribes), including Gond, Maria, Muria, Halba, and Bhattra communities, who have historically been the base of Maoist mobilisation.
- Sukma, Bijapur, and Narayanpur remain the three "most affected" LWE districts in India as of 2024-25.
- The Abujhmarh forests in Narayanpur district, a roughly 4,000 sq km area, has been the most impenetrable Maoist stronghold, though security forces made significant inroads in 2024-25.
- Recent infrastructure development includes road construction under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), mobile tower installation, and banking access through Business Correspondents, all aimed at breaking the Maoists' isolation strategy.
Connection to this news: The surrenders in Sukma and Bijapur, two of the three most-affected districts, indicate a weakening of Maoist hold even in their core territory, driven by the dual approach of military operations (Operation Prahar) and development outreach.
Government's March 2026 Deadline for a Naxal-Free India
Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced an ambitious target of making India completely free of Maoist (Naxal) influence by 31 March 2026. This deadline has driven an unprecedented intensification of anti-Maoist operations, surrenders, and development programmes in LWE-affected regions.
- The deadline was first announced in 2022, with a phased strategy of eliminating Maoist presence through combined security operations and development outreach.
- In 2024, security forces neutralised 219 Maoist cadres (highest in a single year), arrested over 680, and facilitated approximately 1,225 surrenders across all LWE-affected states.
- The Central Government deploys over 100 battalions of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) — including CRPF, BSF, and ITBP — in LWE areas, supplemented by state police and specialised forces like the DRG and CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action).
- Development spending in LWE areas has been channelled through dedicated schemes including the Special Central Assistance (SCA) for LWE-affected districts and the Aspirational Districts Programme.
- A Sukma panchayat was declared "Maoist-free" in early 2026, marking a symbolic milestone ahead of the March deadline.
Connection to this news: The mass surrenders represent a concerted push to achieve the March 2026 target, with the timing of 300 surrenders in Chhattisgarh in early 2026 indicating both effective policy and the accelerating collapse of CPI (Maoist) organisational capacity in its last bastion.
Key Facts & Data
- 51 Maoists surrendered in Sukma (21) and Bijapur (30) on 7 February 2026; collective bounty: Rs 1.61 crore.
- 34 of the 51 surrendered cadres were women.
- Total surrenders in Chhattisgarh in 2026 (to February): approximately 300.
- Total surrenders in Chhattisgarh since 2000: over 16,780.
- Government deadline: Naxal-free India by 31 March 2026.
- Surrender incentives (2025 policy): Rs 50,000 cash, Rs 10,000/month stipend, Rs 4-5 lakh for weapons.
- Maoists neutralised in 2024: 219 (highest single-year figure in recent history).
- Bastar division: 7 districts, approximately 39,114 sq km, over 70% tribal population.
- CAPFs deployed in LWE areas: over 100 battalions (CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CoBRA).
- Sukma, Bijapur, Narayanpur: the three remaining "most affected" LWE districts.