Chief Minister Hails ‘Lone Varratu’ Campaign as Key to Reintegrating Rebels in Bastar
Published on: September 26, 2025
By: BTNI
Location: Bastar, India
Chhattisgarh witnessed a historic anti-Naxal milestone on September 26, 2025, when 71 Maoists, including 21 women, surrendered before security forces in Dantewada district—the largest such event in the state’s history. The group, comprising hardcore cadres and lower-rung operatives, laid down arms under the state government’s “Lone Varratu” (Return Home) rehabilitation scheme, which offers financial aid, skill training, and land for farming to encourage defections.
Notably, 30 of the surrenderers carried a combined bounty of Rs 64 lakh, underscoring the high value of the operation. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai described the event as proof that “the darkness of Naxalism is fading,” crediting aggressive anti-Naxal operations alongside proactive surrender policies for breaking the rebels’ resolve.
The surrenders took place at a district police camp, where the former insurgents cited disillusionment with Maoist ideology, fear of encounters, and the appeal of government incentives as reasons for their decision. Among them were members of the Maoists’ Malangir Area Committee, including area commander Ganesh and deputy commander Moti, both with rewards of Rs 8 lakh each.
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This follows a series of recent blows to the Maoists, including the Narayanpur encounter and smaller surrenders in Bijapur. In the first eight months of 2025, over 500 Naxalites have surrendered statewide, contributing to a 40% drop in violence compared to last year. The state has allocated Rs 500 crore for rehabilitation, including Rs 2.5 lakh per cadre for housing and Rs 10,000 monthly stipends during training.
Critics, however, point to implementation gaps, with some ex-rebels facing community stigma. The CM’s office announced immediate disbursement of Rs 10,000 each to the new surrenderers, aiming to integrate them into mainstream society and further weaken Maoist recruitment in the mineral-rich Bastar division.
