Jharkhand: 27 Maoists surrender before police in Ranchi

In a major success for security forces in Jharkhand, 27 Maoists, including several senior commanders, surrendered before the police on Thursday, police said.

The surrendered cadres, owing allegiance to the last active politburo member of the CPI(Maoist), Misir Besra, who carries a bounty of Rs 1 crore on his head, included 25 members of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) and two members of the Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP).

The surrender took place in the presence of Jharkhand Director General of Police Tadasha Mishra and senior officials of the Jharkhand Police, Jharkhand Jaguar and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

This is considered to be one of the largest surrenders, while a hunt is on for Besra who operates in Saranda and Kolhan regions, officials said.

''Twenty-seven Maoists, wanted in a large number of cases, surrendered before the police under 'Operation Navjeevan'. A total of 22 Maoists were killed, 44 arrested and 29 surrendered in 2026. We appeal to the remaining few to return to the mainstream,'' DGP Mishra said.

Mishra said combined efforts by security forces to eliminate extremism will continue in the state, and the 27 Maoists who surrendered on Thursday will be rehabilitated with full support.

''We appeal to those who have not surrendered to shun the path of violence and return to the mainstream,'' CRPF IG Saket Singh said.

Reacting to the development, Chief Minister Hemant Soren said, ''Due to the clear vision of development of our government, more people are joining the mainstream. This government is being run from the villages, not from the Ranchi headquarters.''.

Among the surrendered Maoists, seven were 'sub-zonal commanders', including Sagen Aangariya alias Dokol (50), wanted in 123 cases, Gadi Munda alias Gulshan (34), wanted in 48 cases and Nagendra Munda alias Prabhant Munda (50), who was wanted in 38 criminal cases.

Six 'area commanders' also laid down arms. Of the seven, five carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh each, they said.

Of the 27 surrendered Maoists, 17 hail from different parts of West Singhbhum district, four from Ranchi, three from Seraikela-Kharsawan, two from Gumla and one from Khunti, officials said.

Based on information provided by the surrendered Maoists, security forces also seized a large quantity of arms and ammunition, including five INSAS and nine SLR rifles, and 2,987 cartridges, the officials said.

The Besra-led squad was split into two to three groups after security personnel conducted an operation on April 27 in the Saranda forest, they said.

Some core members of his squad went with Besra's associate Asim Mandal, who also carries a bounty of Rs 1 crore, another official said.

''Now, around 16 to 17 Maoists remain in the Saranda forest. Security forces are making all efforts to trace both Besra and Mandal,'' Chaibasa Superintendent of Police Amit Renu said.

Last month, four Maoists, including one carrying a reward of Rs 15 lakh on his head, were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jharkhand's Hazaribag district.

With the encounter, only 57 Maoists were left in the state and 27 surrendered during the day, another official said.

The Centre has already informed the state governments that there are no Naxal violence-affected districts in the country, more than five decades since Left Wing Extremism (LWE) originated in India.

The declaration followed a high-level security review held earlier this month by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the mandated 'National Policy and Action Plan to Address Left Wing Extremism' formulated in 2015.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah informed Parliament on March 30 that India was free from Maoists.

Home Minister Amit Shah last week had said Left Wing Extremism (LWE) has been completely eradicated from the country ahead of the March 31 deadline due to the valour, courage and supreme sacrifice of the security forces.

He said Naxal-affected areas remained deprived of development due to violence and fear and promised that the areas that were in the grip of Naxalism at one point will witness a new vision of comprehensive development taking shape.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)