Raipur, April 12 (IANS) Inspired by the ongoing ‘Lon Varratu’ (Come Back Home) campaign in Dantewada district, eight Maoists, including two carrying bounties, have surrendered on Saturday.

A police official said that most of them are CNM (Chetna Natya Manch) members of various Rewali and Kakanadi Panchayats. The Manch – an awakening and dramatic arts Front is the ‘cultural troupe’ of the Communist Party of India (Maoist).

He added that another surrendered Maoist is a Timnar GRD member and another is a Bhairamgarh Area Student Organisation member, while two others are Pomra Panchayat Bhumkal Militia members.

The Chhattisgarh government had announced a reward of Rs 50,000 each for Mangdu Madkam, a Tekalguda Panchayat CNM member, and Deva Ram Kunjam, a Rewali Panchayat CNM member, said the officials.

An official said that these individuals were previously involved in activities such as road digging and displaying Naxal banners and posters in their respective areas.

Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P and other senior officers, the district police force, and CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) have been actively engaging with Maoists to encourage their reintegration into society.

The officials said that the campaign, combined with the Chhattisgarh government’s rehabilitation policy, has been widely publicised in villages, leading to a steady stream of surrenders from both high-ranking and lower-level Maoists.

Disillusioned by the harsh and exploitative ideology of Maoism, internal conflicts within Maoist groups, and the challenges of living in the forests, these individuals have chosen to abandon violence and re-join society.

On April 12, 2025, eight Maoists, collectively carrying a bounty of Rs 1 lakh, surrendered at the office of Deputy Inspector General (Dantewada Range) Kamalochan Kashyap as part of the ‘Lon Varratu’.

The RFT (Intelligence Branch) Dantewada, along with the 111th and 230th Battalions of the CRPF, played a pivotal role in facilitating these surrenders.

Under the rehabilitation policy, the surrendered Maoists will receive Rs 50,000 in financial aid, along with other benefits such as skill development training and agricultural land.

Since the inception of the ‘Lon Varratu’ campaign, a total of 961 Maoists, including 226 with rewards, have surrendered and embraced a new path in society, the officials said.