Raipur: Four Maoists, including a cadre involved in the infamous 2009 Madanwada ambush that claimed the lives of 29 security personnel, surrendered to authorities in Kanker district, Chhattisgarh, on Wednesday, police officials said.

According to Kanker Senior Superintendent of Police (SP) I K Elesela, the four surrendered under the Poona Margem initiative—a long-term rehabilitation and social reintegration program aimed at encouraging Maoists to abandon violence and return to mainstream society. “The initiative, launched by the Bastar range police, has become a key effort for peace-building and social reintegration across the seven districts of the region,” Elesela said.

Details of the Surrendered Maoists

The four cadres, including two women, collectively carried a bounty of ₹23 lakh. They surrendered before senior police and Border Security Force (BSF) officials as part of the state’s ongoing anti-Maoist rehabilitation efforts.

The surrendered cadres are:

• Kajal alias Rajita Vedada (19) – Member of Company No. 10 of the Gadchiroli (Maharashtra) division, with a bounty of ₹8 lakh.
• Manjula alias Laxmi Potai (37) – Part of the west Bastar division’s technical team, involved in 16 Maoist-related incidents between 2006 and 2025, including the 2009 Madanwada–Korkoti ambush that killed then-Rajnandgaon SP Vinod Choubey and 28 other personnel. Bounty: ₹5 lakh.
• Vilas alias Chaitu Usendi (42) – Bounty: ₹5 lakh.
• Ramsai alias Lakhan Marrapi (42) – An area committee member involved in over 42 Maoist incidents from 2004 to 2025, including the 2008 Gumdideeh–Konde ambush (6 personnel killed) and the 2019 Mahla attack (4 jawans killed). Bounty: ₹5 lakh.

Rehabilitation and Support

Under the Chhattisgarh rehabilitation policy, each surrendered cadre received immediate assistance of ₹50,000. Elesela emphasized the program’s appeal to Maoist cadres and their families:

“The Chhattisgarh government’s rehabilitation policy has been attracting Maoists. Families want their members to leave violence behind and return to normal life. Maoists should abandon their misleading and violent ideology and rejoin society without fear. The ‘Poona Margem’ policy ensures that those who come back receive a secure, dignified, and self-reliant future.”

In the past two years, more than 2,380 Maoists, including several senior cadres, have surrendered in Chhattisgarh, reflecting the growing success of the state’s rehabilitation and reintegration efforts.

Policy Backing and Legal Measures

The state Cabinet has recently approved procedures for scrutiny and withdrawal of cases against surrendered Maoists under the Chhattisgarh Naxal Surrender/Victim Relief and Rehabilitation Policy 2025. The policy allows for case withdrawal based on good conduct and contributions to anti-Maoist activities, ensuring a balance between justice and reintegration.

National Context

The surrender of the four cadres comes against the backdrop of a national effort to eliminate Maoism by March 31, 2026, as set by the Central Government. Chhattisgarh, being one of the core Maoist-affected states, has been at the forefront of combining security operations with rehabilitation measures, providing a pathway for cadres to return to mainstream society while maintaining law and order.

---