We Are Resolved To Eradicate Naxalism By March 2026, Says Amit Shah After 21 Maoists Surrender In Chhattisgarh

Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Monday that 21 Maoists had surrendered in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh, marking another significant blow to Left-Wing Extremism in the state.

The group surrendered before security forces in Antagarh, Kanker, on Sunday.

Taking to X, Shah posted, “Glad to share that 21 Maoists have surrendered along with their arms in Kanker district, Chhattisgarh. Out of them, 13 were senior cadres. I commend them for joining the mainstream, abjuring violence at the call of the Modi government. I reiterate my appeal to the rest who are still wielding guns to surrender at the earliest. We are resolved to eradicate Naxalism by 31st March 2026.”

Just hours before the surrender, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the 127th edition of his Mann Ki Baat radio address on Sunday, asserted that the Maoist movement in India was on the verge of collapse.

Among those who gave up arms were four division vice committee members, nine area committee members, and eight party members.

They handed over 18 weapons, including three AK-47 rifles, four self-loading rifles, two INSAS rifles, six .303 rifles, two single-shot rifles, and one Barrel Grenade Launcher.

Thirteen of those who surrendered were women.

Mukesh, the Division Committee Secretary of the Keshkal Division under the North Sub-Zonal Bureau, was among the key figures to lay down arms after years of operating in the Kuemari and Kiskoda regions.

Chhattisgarh CM Welcomes the Move

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai hailed the development on the social media platform.

Taking to X, he posted, “The end of the anti-people Maoist ideology through “Puna Margem,” Establishment of peace in Bastar.”

“Today, in Kanker district, under the “Puna Margem – From Rehabilitation to Revival” initiative, 21 Naxalites have abandoned the path of violence and surrendered. This is a meaningful testament to the success of our “Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy – 2025” and the “Niyad Nella Nar Scheme,” which is fostering a new wave of trust and transformation in Naxal-affected areas,” the post read.

Chhattisgarh CM further added, “Youth misled by the false ideology of Maoism are now beginning to understand that the path of development, not guns, is the true choice for the future. We are fully committed to the rehabilitation and revival of these surrendered Naxalites.”

“Under the guidance of Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji and the leadership of Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah Ji, our government has won the trust of the people of Bastar. As a result, Maoist organisations are continuously weakening, and large numbers of them are abandoning the path of violence,” he posted.

Chhattisgarh CM further noted, “The backbone of Naxalism in the Bastar region has been broken, and Bastar is rapidly moving toward peace and development. Our double-engine government is resolute in making the country Naxal-free by March 31, 2026.”

Continuing Trend of Surrenders

The group reached a police camp from Barrebeda village early on Sunday, a day after 50 Naxalites had surrendered at Kamteda camp.

According to police data, over 1,200 Maoists have surrendered in Chhattisgarh since January 2025, depositing more than 900 weapons.

The state’s rehabilitation policy, which includes medical examinations and vocational training, has facilitated more than 1,400 returns since 2023.

Statistics reflect a steady decline in Maoist activity.

More than 1,200 cadres have surrendered this year alone, including 150 armed with AK-47 and INSAS rifles.

Bijapur district recorded 410 surrenders by October, while Dantewada saw 71 in September.

Officials attribute the trend to waning faith in the Maoist movement and improved security operations.

Nationwide, Naxal-related incidents have dropped by 40 per cent, with Bastar reporting a 25 per cent year-on-year decline, progress that, as Amit Shah noted, signals the waning of the decades-old insurgency.

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