In a pivotal development for Madhya Pradesh, a 23-year-old woman identified as Sunita, a former Maoist operative, has voluntarily surrendered in the Balaghat district. This event marks the first instance of a Maoist surrendering under the state’s new rehabilitation policy, which was officially launched in August 2023.
Sunita, originally from Bhairamgarh tehsil in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, was a member of the Maoist’s GRB (Gondia, Rajanandgaon Balaghat) division, which operates within the broader MMC (Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh) zone. She presented herself at the Chauriya camp of Madhya Pradesh’s anti-naxal Hawk Force on a Saturday evening. She arrived unarmed, expressing a genuine desire to leave her past behind.
According to Hawk Force Commandant Shiyaz K.M., Sunita later guided a police team deep into the forest to her former hideout. There, they successfully recovered an INSAS rifle, three magazines, and a UBGL (Under Barrel Grenade Launcher) shell. This act of cooperation highlights her commitment to the rehabilitation process.
A High-Value Target Chooses a New Path
Sunita was a high-profile target, with a substantial reward of ₹14 lakh announced for her capture. This included ₹6 lakh from Maharashtra and ₹3 lakh from Chhattisgarh. She had served as a personal bodyguard to Ramder, a senior Maoist leader and Central Committee Member (CCM).
Commandant Shiyaz further revealed that Sunita was also an Area Committee Member (ACM) and played a vital role within Ramder’s unit. Intelligence suggests that Ramder, along with over ten other Maoists, entered Balaghat in February and has been operating in the area since. The Hawk Force remains optimistic that more Maoists will be inspired by Sunita’s decision and choose to surrender.
A senior Hawk Force official, who wished to remain anonymous, mentioned that Sunita had separated from her group a few days prior to her surrender, choosing to hide in the forest before approaching the Chauriya camp. Authorities are currently interrogating her to gather crucial information about her former associates and to ascertain if other group members are contemplating surrender.
Madhya Pradesh’s Proactive Rehabilitation Pathways
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav lauded the surrender, attributing it to both Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s firm stance against Maoist activities and the recent effective operations by the state police. He emphasized the significance of this event, stating that it is the first time any Naxalite has surrendered under the Madhya Pradesh Surrender, Rehabilitation cum Relief Policy, 2023.
This also marks the first instance since 1992 that a Naxalite from another state has surrendered to the Madhya Pradesh government. Chief Minister Yadav highlighted the state’s ongoing success in countering Maoist threats, noting that “this year alone, we have neutralized 10 Naxalites who collectively carried bounties exceeding ₹1.5 crore.”
The Chief Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to offering clear pathways for Maoists willing to surrender, emphasizing that the state’s strategy is yielding results. “They are either being eliminated or they are surrendering,” he stated. “Only a small number of Naxalites remain, and we anticipate that our robust actions will soon influence them to follow suit.”