Two Hardcore Maoists Surrender in Gariaband, Major Setback to Naxal Network

In a significant boost to anti-Naxal operations, two hardcore Maoists laid down arms in the Gariaband district of Chhattisgarh on Friday.

The surrendered cadres have been identified as Santosh alias Lal Pawan and Manju alias Nandi, both members of an Area Committee and each carrying a government-announced bounty of Rs 5 lakh.

According to Dhirendra Kumar, Additional SP (Naxal Cell, Gariaband), the duo was involved in several incidents of Maoist violence across Gariaband in Chhattisgarh and Nuapada in Odisha.

Their surrender marks a major setback to Maoist networks operating along the Chhattisgarh–Odisha border, where security forces have intensified operations in recent months.

The Chhattisgarh government’s rehabilitation policy, which offers financial assistance and support for reintegration into mainstream society, has encouraged several Maoist cadres to surrender.

This latest development adds to a series of recent surrenders and encounters that have weakened Maoist influence in the region.