Woman Maoist with Rs 17 lakh bounty surrenders in Chhattisgarh

Kamala Sodi, a Maoist carrying a Rs 17 lakh bounty, surrendered before police in Chhattisgarh’s Khairagarh–Chhuikhadan–Gandai district. Officials said her surrender reflects growing success of the state’s rehabilitation policy encouraging rebels to abandon violence and rejoin society

Raipur: In another success for Chhattisgarh’s “anti-Naxal” campaign, Kamala Sodi, a notorious female Maoist carrying a bounty of Rs 17 lakh, surrendered to the police on Thursday, marking a powerful moment in the state’s ongoing effort to dismantle insurgent networks through dialogue and rehabilitation.

Sodi, also known by her aliases Ungi and Taruna, laid down arms at the Superintendent of Police’s office in Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai district, in the presence of Rajnandgaon Range Inspector General Abhishek Shandilya, SP Lakshya Sharma, and other senior officials.

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Her surrender is being hailed as a testament to the growing impact of Chhattisgarh’s Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy-2025, which aims to reintegrate former rebels into society through trust-building and development.

A native of the Konta region in Sukma district, Sodi had been associated with the banned CPI (Maoist) since 2011. She served as a key operative under the MMC (Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh) Zone in-charge, Ramdar, actively involved in planning and executing several violent incidents across Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh.

Her decision to abandon the path of violence comes amid intensified security operations and sustained police pressure in the region. Sodi cited the State government’s progressive rehabilitation policy as her inspiration for returning to mainstream life.

As part of the surrender protocol, she was immediately granted Rs 50,000 and assured comprehensive support for reintegration. Officials believe her move will encourage other Maoists to follow suit, especially as the insurgency continues to lose ground to development initiatives and community outreach.

IG Shandilya underscored the symbolic weight of Sodi’s surrender, stating that it reflects a broader shift among Maoist cadres who are increasingly disillusioned with armed struggle. This is not just a policing success, it’s a social message that transformation is possible through dialogue, not guns, he said.

The administration remains optimistic that such gestures will catalyse further defections from the Maoist ranks, reinforcing the belief that peace and progress are the true agents of change in conflict-ridden regions.