In what was one of the largest Maoist surrenders in recent years, as many as 170 Maoists surrendered in Chhattisgarh today. Among them was Rupesh, the North-Western Sub-Zonal In-Charge and intelligence chief of the Maoist military wing.
"A landmark day in our battle against Naxalism. Today, 170 Naxalites have surrendered in Chhattisgarh. Yesterday 27 had laid down their arms in the state. In Maharashtra, 61 returned to the mainstream, yesterday. In total, 258 battle-hardened left-wing extremists have abjured violence in the last two days," the Home Minister posted on X.
नक्सलवाद के खिलाफ लड़ाई में बड़ी सफलता!
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) October 16, 2025
छत्तीसगढ़ में आज 170 नक्सलियों ने आत्मसमर्पण किया है, कल 27 ने हथियार डाले थे। महाराष्ट्र में भी कल 61 नक्सली हथियार त्याग कर मुख्यधारा में लौटे। पिछले दो दिनों में कुल 258 वामपंथी उग्रवादियों ने हिंसा का रास्ता छोड़ा है।
हिंसा छोड़कर…
According to intelligence sources, Rupesh and his associates moved towards Bhairamgarh after crossing the Indravati River through the treacherous Uspari Ghat. Once they reached Bijapur, an official surrender was announced in Jagdalpur.
"Our policy is clear: those who want to surrender are welcome, and those who continue to wield the gun will meet the wrath of our forces. I appeal again to those who are still on the path of Naxalism to lay down their weapons and join the mainstream. We are committed to uprooting Naxalism before 31st March 2026," the Home Minister added.
Security forces, particularly the District Reserve Guard (DRG), turned Bhairamgarh into a virtual fortress. Roads from Uspari Ghat to Bhairamgarh were monitored around the clock. Senior officers were stationed in Bijapur to oversee the high-stakes operation.
According to sources, Rupesh surrendered with around 130 top Naxal cadres, including one Central Committee Member (CCM), two DKSZC members, and 15 DVCM cadres. Among them were several members from the Maad Division, a region long considered the Maoist stronghold.
The surrender included a substantial cache of sophisticated weapons AK-47s, INSAS rifles, SLRs, and carbines, marking a massive dent in the Maoists' firepower in southern Chhattisgarh.
"It is a matter of immense joy that Abujhmad and North Bastar in Chhattisgarh, which were once strongholds of terror, have today been completely declared free from Naxalite violence. Now, only sporadic Naxalites remain in South Bastar, whom our security forces will soon eliminate," the Home Minister added in another post.
यह अत्यंत हर्ष की बात है कि एक समय आतंक का गढ़ रहे छत्तीसगढ़ के अबूझमाड़ और नॉर्थ बस्तर को आज नक्सली हिंसा से पूरी तरह मुक्त घोषित कर दिया गया है। अब छिटपुट नक्सली केवल साउथ बस्तर में बचे हुए हैं, जिन्हें हमारी सुरक्षा बल शीघ्र ही समाप्त कर देंगे।
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) October 16, 2025
जनवरी 2024 में छत्तीसगढ़ में…
The Maoist organisation has been on the back foot ever since the surrender of Politburo member Sonu alias Venugopal. Rupesh, who was recently elevated to the Central Committee, was among those advocating for a ceasefire. In April, he had even issued a press note supporting the peace process, a rare signal of internal dissent within the Maoist hierarchy.
Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Vijay Sharma said, "We are welcoming rehabilitated Naxalites with a red carpet. The people of Bastar have rejected Red Terror. Any surrender in Bijapur or Kanker is a step toward peace, and we will welcome them all."
This year has proven to be historic in the state's decades-long fight against Left-Wing Extremism. 312 Maoists, including eight top leaders of the CPI (Maoist), have been killed in encounters. 836 cadres have been arrested. 1,639 Naxalites have surrendered, a record-breaking figure for Chhattisgarh.
According to the latest central government data, the number of most-affected districts by Maoist violence has come down from 126 to just three -- Bijapur, Sukma, and Narayanpur, all in Chhattisgarh.
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