Maoist central committee member Ramdher surrenders with 11 others in Chhattisgarh

53-year-old Ramdher, also known as Horupu and Amarjeet, was a central committee member of the MMC zone and was a top-ranking Maoist leaders active in the area

RAIPUR: Ramdher alias Deu Majji, a senior central committee member of the CPI (Maoist), and 11 other Maoists from the Madhya Pradesh-Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh (MMC) zone, surrendered in Rajnandgaon district on Monday, police said.

After Ramdher’s surrender, the banned group has only seven remaining active central committee members in the forests. (X/airnewsalerts)

The 12 Maoists, who carry a combined reward of nearly ₹3 crore, laid down arms in the presence of top officers of the Chhattisgarh police and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

According to the police, 53-year-old Ramdher, also known as Horupu and Amarjeet, was a central committee member of the MMC zone and was among the top-ranking Maoist leaders still active in the area.

Ramdher, who carried a bounty of ₹1.05 crore, was the only central committee member from Chhattisgarh apart from Madvi Hidma, who was recently killed in an encounter.

Officials said that after Ramdher’s surrender, the banned group has only seven remaining active central committee members in the forests.

Among others who also surrendered were divisional committee commanders such as Chandu, Anita, Prem and Janki, who each had a reward of over ₹30 lakh, and were associated with the Tanda-Malajkhand area committee.

Officials said the 12 surrendered with 10 weapons, including three AK-47 rifles, a self-loading rifle, three INSAS rifles, two .303 rifles and a carbine.

The MMC zone has historically been one of the CPI (Maoist)’s most strategic regions, functioning as a link between the Dandakaranya stronghold and northern Maharashtra.

Chhattisgarh’s chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai said the state was moving steadily toward the national target of ending naxalism by March 31, 2026, adding that the movement is now “in its last phase.”

He said security forces have seen “unprecedented success” in the past two years, with more than 500 Maoists having been killed in encounters and over 4,000 more either surrendered or arrested.

Senior security officials including Chhattisgarh director general of police (DGP) Arun Dev Gautam, additional director general (Naxal Operations) Vivekanand, Rajnandgaon Range inspector general Abhishek Shandilya, and ITBP deputy inspector general Anwar Elahi, were present at Monday’s event.