Two Maoists, including senior leader, express willingness to surrender: Police

Two Maoists, including a senior operative, have approached the security forces expressing willingness to surrender in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district, said the police on Wednesday (February 25, 2026).

Kanker Superintendent of Police Nikhil Rakhecha said that Mallesh, who is a divisional committee member of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) or CPI (Maoist), and another party member, Ranu Podiam, recently contacted the Kanker police and the Border Security Force (BSF), expressing their willingness to surrender and avail of the government’s rehabilitation policy. 

Both Mallesh and Podiam are part of the North Bastar division of the Maoists.  

Mr. Rakhecha added that based on the information shared by Mallesh and Podiam, efforts were made to establish contact with other active Maoist cadres in the area and encourage them to join the mainstream. 

Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj Pattilingam, appealed to Maoist cadres to give up violence and return to the mainstream. He said those who come forward to lead a peaceful and dignified life would be provided with all assistance under the state government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy.

In the last two years, 532 Maoists were neutralised, 2,704 surrendered and 2,004 were arrested in Chhattisgarh, according to police officers.