Kothagudem saw 918 Maoist surrenders, 829 arrests since 2014, police say

A total of 918 Maoists surrendered and 829 were arrested in Kothagudem between 2014 and 2026, according to district police. Officials speaking at a media workshop on Friday highlighted the decline of Maoist activities, rehabilitation efforts for surrendered cadres and ongoing development initiatives in tribal and Maoist-affected areas.

Kothagudem: As many as 829 Maoists were arrested while 918 Maoists surrendered and rejoined the mainstream of society from 2014 to 2026 in Kothagudem, the district police said.

During the same period, 27 instances of exchanges of fire occurred between the police and Maoists, resulting in the deaths of 57 Maoists. Similarly, attacks and acts of violence by the naxals claimed the lives of around 868 civilians and 331 police personnel.

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This was revealed at a media workshop ‘Naxal-Mukt Bharat’ (Naxal-Free India) here on Friday. The event was jointly organised by the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry’s Press Information Bureau (PIB) and the Kothagudem police. SP (Intelligence) Sindhu Sarma, PIB Joint Director Dr. Manas Krishnakant and Kothagudem SP B Rohith Raju attended the event.

The officials explained the conditions that prevailed at the height of the Maoist movement, its decline and measures being taken to bring Adivasis into the path of development besides infrastructure development in Maoist-affected areas.

Through the government’s rehabilitation policy, those who have abandoned the path of violence and returned to mainstream life are being provided the necessary support and assistance, the officials noted.

Efforts to foster public trust in the police continue with community outreach programmes, they added. A few surrendered Maoists shared their experiences with the media stating that the rehabilitation policy has been instrumental in helping them begin a new life.