- Papa Rao is one of the last most wanted Maoists active in the Dandakaranya region
- A bounty of Rs 25 lakh had been declared on him
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah had set March 31 as the deadline for eliminating Maoists
A central committee member of the CPI (Maoist) is set to walk out of the jungles of Chhattisgarh's Bastar and lay down weapons, just days before the government's deadline for eliminating Maoists arrived.
Other Maoists in tow, Papa Rao, one of the last most wanted Maoists active in the Dandakaranya region, is set to surrender at Bijapur district headquarters along with dozens of associates, handing over arms that included AK-47s and SLRs.
His wife, Urmila, was among six Maoists who were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district in November 2025. Urmila was also the main handler of logistical supplies for the Maoists.
A bounty of Rs 25 lakh had been declared on him. He held a senior rank within the so-called Dandakaranya special zonal committee of the Maoists, and had been linked to multiple encounters in Bastar over the years.
His expected surrender empties what remained of the Dandakaranya Maoist leadership. No senior Maoist is now believed to be active in the region.
Chhattisgarh Home Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma said Maoists in the state had been completely eradicated. With Papa Rao's certain surrender, no major Maoist gang remained operational in Chhattisgarh, he said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah had set March 31 as the deadline for eliminating Maoists. The latest surrender comes before that date closes. Bastar has been the epicentre of Maoist activity for decades.
The region's dense forest cover and difficult terrain gave Maoists both operational depth and strategic sanctuary. The security forces over the past two years significantly degraded Maoist infrastructure through a combination of targeted operations and surrender initiatives, but the elimination of an entire Maoist zonal committee's senior cadre in a single move is rare.
The government believes South and West Bastar could now be declared free from Maoists.
With inputs from Manish Rakshamwar
