Chhattisgarh: Woman Maoist with ₹5 lakh bounty surrenders before Dhamtari police

Police said the surrender was influenced by the Chhattisgarh government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy, along with intensified anti-Maoist operations.

A woman Maoist carrying a reward of ₹5 lakh surrendered before the police in Dhamtari on Monday citing disillusionment with the banned outfit’s ideology, officials said.

Woman Maoist, identified as Gita (left), after her surrender before Dhamtari police on Monday. (HT Photo)

The surrendered cadre, Role alias Gita alias Lata alias Somari (37), was active as a member of the Nagri Area Committee and commander of the Gobra LOS. She surrendered before Dhamtari superintendent of police Suraj Singh Parihar.

Police said the surrender was influenced by the Chhattisgarh government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy, along with intensified anti-Maoist operations, civic action programmes and sustained outreach through posters, banners and pamphlets in affected areas.

According to officials, the woman, a native of Pusnar village under Gungalur police station in Bijapur district, had been associated with the Maoist organisation since 2005. During her long stint, she said she was deprived of family life and faced discriminatory treatment, leading to growing resentment and eventual disenchantment with the group’s ideology.

A senior police officer said a reward of ₹5 lakh had been declared against her by the state government.

Police said she initially underwent armed training and remained with Platoon-01 till 2010, before being shifted to the Odisha state committee. Between 2011 and 2019, she served as a guard of senior Maoist leader CCM Sangram. From 2019 to 2023, she worked as an area committee member in Sinapali, and was appointed Gobra LOS commander in September 2023. Due to a decline in cadre strength, she was recently operating jointly with the Nagri and Sitanadi area committees.

Officials said she was involved in several encounters in Chhattisgarh and neighbouring Odisha, including operations in Odisha’s Nuapada region, Manpur, Bijapur, Gariaband and Dhamtari districts between 2010 and 2025.

Several criminal cases are registered against her under various sections of law, police said. On surrender, she was provided an immediate incentive of ₹50,000 under the state’s rehabilitation policy.