21 Naxalites Surrender in Kanker with 18 Automatic Weapons; Active in North Sub-Zonal Bureau

  The group arrived at Kanker carrying 18 automatic weapons, including AK-47s, INSAS, and SLRs, and included cadres from DVCM, ACM, and party ranks.

Details of the Surrender

The surrendered members were active in the North Sub-Zonal Bureau, operating in the Keskal Division, Kuemari, and Kiskodo Area Committees. Among them, DVCM Secretary Mukesh was also present. Of the 21 cadres, 8 were male and 13 were female, consisting of 4 DVCM, 9 ACM, and 8 party members.

Weapons Surrendered

The group handed over:

• 3 AK-47s

• 4 SLRs

• 2 INSAS rifles

• 6 .303 rifles

• 2 single-shot rifles

• 1 BGL launcher

Background and Timeline

On October 7, Naxals from the Mard Division had issued a notice indicating weapons would be surrendered by October 15. On October 17, a total of 210 Naxalites, including CCM Rupesh, officially gave up violence and surrendered to the government.

The surrender took place in Jagdalpur in the presence of senior police officials, including the DGP, ADGP, and IG. Following this, Chhattisgarh CM Vishnudev Sai and Home Minister Vijay Sharma held a press briefing, noting that some Naxals in the Keskal region had not yet surrendered but were expected to do so soon.

With the surrender of these 21 members, areas under the Mard Division, Indravati Area Committee, and North Bastar Division are now largely cleared of active Naxal presence.

Wider Trend of Surrenders

In the past ten days, 231 Naxalites in Bastar and 61 in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, including leader Bhupati, have surrendered with weapons. In total, 292 Naxals have abandoned violence in both regions over the last 15 days.

Over the past 18 months, around 400 Naxals have been killed, with tribal cadres from Bastar forming a significant portion. Many Naxals from Telangana were previously used as front-line fighters, while local Bastar cadres now actively participate in counter-insurgency operations alongside police forces.

Officials note that Telangana cadres have largely retreated, leaving front-line operations to local fighters. This shift has significantly weakened the insurgents’ operational capabilities in Bastar.