Overview
- The 11, all wanted Maoist commanders and cadres, laid down arms before Maharashtra DGP Rashmi Shukla during a public event in Gadchiroli.
- Four arrived in uniform with weapons, and those surrendering included divisional committee members Ramesh Lekami and Bhima Kowasi, according to police.
- Police say 112 Maoists have surrendered in Gadchiroli in 2025, with 146 since 2022 under sustained operations by state forces and the CRPF.
- Authorities describe the move as a major setback to Maoist activity across the Dandakaranya region and align it with the Union government’s March 31, 2026 target to end the insurgency.
- Under Maharashtra’s policy in place since 2005, group surrenders are eligible for Rs 10 lakh in collective assistance, while separate police statements in Chhattisgarh reported four more surrenders in Kanker under a rehabilitation initiative.