108 Maoists surrender in Bastar under ‘Puna Margem’ initiative; security forces recover massive cache of arms and explosives

Raipur:
In a significant breakthrough in anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh, 108 Maoist cadres surrendered and joined the mainstream on Wednesday in Bastar. The surrender took place at Shaurya Bhavan, Police Coordination Centre in Lalbagh, Jagdalpur, under the state government’s ‘Puna Margem (New Dawn)’ rehabilitation initiative.

The event was attended by senior community members, police officials, central security force personnel, and district administration officers.

According to Bastar Police, the surrendered cadres belonged to the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC). Information provided by them helped security forces recover one of the largest dumps of arms and explosives in the history of anti-Naxal operations in India.

The weapons and explosives were recovered from several districts across the Bastar Range, including Bijapur, and were displayed at the Range Headquarters during the rehabilitation programme.

Police officials stated that the ‘Puna Margem’ initiative aims to encourage cadres to abandon violence and return to civilian life. The 108 surrendered individuals will now be eligible for benefits under the state government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy.