In a big break for law enforcement, 52 Maoists surrendered in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh on January 15, 2026, said senior officials. Of these, 49 carried a combined bounty of over ₹1.41 crore. The group included 21 women and belonged to various Maoist units like Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC), Andhra-Odisha Border division, and Maharashtra's Bhamragarh area committee. They surrendered before police and CRPF officers during the “Poona” Margem initiative, aiming at rehabilitation and social reintegration. Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Yadav noted, “The cadres also said that they were impressed by the State government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy.” Among them, Lakkhu Karam, alias Anil (32), and two platoon party committee members, Laxmi Madvi (28) and Chinni Sodhi, alias Shanti (28), each had a bounty of ₹8 lakh. Thirteen others had bounties of ₹5 lakh each, 19 with ₹2 lakh, and 14 with ₹1 lakh, adding up to ₹1.41 crore collectively. Each surrendered Maoist will receive ₹50,000 immediately and will be rehabilitated as per government rules. This surrender comes amid a wave of Maoists laying down arms recently: 29 surrendered in nearby Sukma on January 14, 63 in Dantewada on January 8, and 26 more in Sukma on January 7. In 2025 alone, over 1,500 Maoists surrendered in Chhattisgarh. The Indian government has set a goal to eliminate Naxalism by March 31, 2026.