"Historic Moment": Last Active Maoist In Chhattisgarh's Gariaband Surrenders

In a major breakthrough for Chhattisgarh's anti-Maoist operations, the last active Maoist in Gariaband district, Sunil alias Jagtar Singh, surrendered before police on Friday. This "historic" surrender marked the end of organized Maoist activity in the district.

What makes the development even more striking is that Sunil, a native of Thandad village in Kurukshetra district, Haryana, had a bounty of Rs 8 lakh on his head and had been active in the Maoist movement for over two decades.

Officials described the surrender as a "historic moment" for Gariaband, which has now been declared Maoist-free after years of consistent police and intelligence operations.

In a coordinated operation, seven Maoists from the Udanti Area Committee under the Gariaband-Dhamtari-Nuapada division surrendered before police on Friday.

According to officials, the total bounty on these cadres was approximately Rs 37 lakh. Among them were Sunil, the Udanti Area Commander, and his wife Arina, who served as secretary in the same division both carrying rewards of Rs 8 lakh each.

Sunil's journey into the Maoist network began in 2004 when he joined the Shivalik Jansangharsh Manch, a front organization of the banned CPI (Maoist), in Yamunanagar, Haryana. Through this group, he was introduced to senior Maoist ideologues such as C.C. Lankapapareddy and C.C. Subramaniam in Delhi, where he deepened his understanding of Maoist philosophy and began working in the urban network.

Sunil was arrested twice in 2006 and 2008 for his involvement in extremist activities. However, following his release, Sunil resumed his work and strengthened his contacts in the Maoist circles of Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

In December 2015, a chance meeting with Maoist leader Mandeep in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, changed the trajectory of Sunil's life. The two traveled together to the Boden (Khadupani) forest in Odisha's Nuapada district, where Sunil met Sangram alias Murali, a Central Committee member of the Maoist organization. After this meeting, he formally joined the armed cadre and began operations in the Gariaband-Nuapada border zone.

By May 2016, his dedication earned him the post of Area Committee Member (ACM) in the Sinapali Area Committee. His role grew further when, in April 2017, he accompanied top Maoist leaders including General Secretary Ganpati and CC Sonu during their visit to Gariaband. A subsequent police encounter at Kundanjharia village exposed his involvement and influence.

In January 2018, Sunil underwent a week-long tactical and weapons training camp in the Kundanjharia forest. The camp focused on guerrilla warfare, communication codes, and ambush strategy. It was here that he met Arina Tekam, a fellow Maoist cadre, whom he later married in May 2018.

Recognized for his leadership, Sunil was promoted to Deputy Divisional Committee Member (DVCM) in July 2018 and subsequently appointed Indagaon Area Commander in December 2020 a post he held until his surrender.

In July 2022, he attended a crucial Maoist leadership meeting in Odh village forest alongside senior Central Committee members Devji, Chalpati, Vikas, Jairam, and Kartik, underscoring his elevated status within the insurgent hierarchy.

Sunil's surrender comes on the heels of a massive capitulation wave within the Maoist ranks.

On October 17, 2025, as many as 210 Maoists, including Central Committee member Rupesh, surrendered with 175 weapons the largest such event in the movement's history.

According to official figures, between 2001 and 2025, 7,826 Maoists have surrendered across Chhattisgarh, including 1,319 in 2025 alone the highest in two decades.

Once a red corridor hotspot linking Odisha and Chhattisgarh, Gariaband now stands as a model of how coordinated intelligence, rehabilitation policies, and sustained local engagement can dismantle the last remnants of Maoist networks in the region.