Jharkhand News : In a major success for Jharkhand Police’s ongoing anti-Maoist operations, 16 members of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) surrendered before the Director General of Police (DGP) at the Police Headquarters in Ranchi on Tuesday. The surrendered cadres were active in the dense forest regions of Kolhan, Saranda, and Latehar.
The surrender took place under Operation Navjeevan-II, a rehabilitation initiative led by Jharkhand Police in coordination with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), CoBRA, and Jharkhand Jaguar units.
Senior Maoist Commanders Among Those Who Surrendered
The group comprised 11 men and five women, including:
- One Regional Commander
- Three Zonal Commanders
- Three Sub-Zonal Commanders
- Six Area Commanders
- Three squad members
The surrendered Maoists handed over 11 firearms and 1,562 rounds of ammunition to the police.
Top Rewarded Maoists Lay Down Arms
According to police, the surrendered cadres were associated with CPI (Maoist) Politburo member Misir Besra alias Sagar Ji and Central Committee member Asim Mandal, and were part of armed squads operating across the Kolhan-Saranda region.
Among them was Santosh alias Basudev Da, a Regional Commander from Giridih district, against whom 128 criminal cases are registered. He carried a ₹1.5 million reward.
Other prominent surrendering Maoists include:
- Chandan Lohra, a Zonal Commander from Khunti district, wanted in 78 cases with a ₹1 million reward.
- Anil Turi alias Ujjwal, a Sub-Zonal Commander from Lohardaga, wanted in 22 cases with a ₹500,000 reward.
Weapons and Ammunition Recovered
The surrendered rebels handed over the following weapons:
- 6 INSAS rifles
- 2 AK-47 rifles
- 1 HK-33 rifle
- 1 US Carbine
- 1 M-16 rifle
- 38 magazines
- 1,562 rounds of ammunition
Most Surrendered Rebels Belong to Jharkhand
Police said 15 of the 16 surrendered Maoists are residents of Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum (Chaibasa), Latehar, Lohardaga, Hazaribagh, Khunti, Bokaro, Ranchi, Seraikela-Kharsawan, and Giridih districts, while one belongs to Sundargarh district in Odisha.
More Surrenders Expected
Police also revealed that eight more Maoist commanders and cadres linked to the same network are surrendering in Chhattisgarh, including members from the Bijapur, Sukma, and Narayanpur zones.
According to the Jharkhand Police Media Cell, 93 Maoists have been arrested in 2026, while 45 have surrendered, including the 16 who laid down arms on Tuesday. Additionally, 22 Maoists have been killed in encounters this year.
Earlier this year, 27 Maoist commanders and cadres surrendered on May 21, while top commanders Ravindra Ganjhu (₹2 million reward) and Ajay Mahto alias Tiger (₹2.5 million reward) were arrested on July 13 and July 17, respectively.
Police Appeal to Remaining Maoists
Jharkhand Police said increasing security operations and growing dissatisfaction within the Maoist ranks have encouraged many cadres to return to the mainstream. The force reiterated its appeal to the remaining insurgents to renounce violence and take advantage of the government’s Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy to rebuild their lives.
