Wanted Maoist leader Geeta surrenders in Chhattisgarh
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Raipur: Geeta, also known as Kamli Salam, a female Maoist commander active in Kondagaon district, surrendered to police on Saturday, marking another significant defection from the insurgency in Chhattisgarh.
Her surrender comes just a day after the largest mass surrender in the state’s history, when 210 Naxalites, including senior leaders, laid down their arms in Jagdalpur, signalling a major shift in the decades-long conflict.
Geeta, who served as Tailor Team Commander in the Maoists’ East Bastar Division, carried a bounty of Rs 5 lakh on her head announced by the Chhattisgarh government. She handed herself over to Superintendent of Police Akshay Kumar, citing disillusionment with the movement and inspiration from the recent wave of surrenders.
Police sources said her decision was influenced by intensified anti-Naxal operations, internal discord within the group, and the symbolic gesture of rebels embracing the Indian Constitution during Friday’s ceremony in Jagdalpur.
The Jagdalpur event saw 210 Maoists, including a Central Committee member and four Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee leaders, surrender 153 weapons ranging from AK-47s to grenade launchers. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai attended the ceremony, which was hailed as a success for the government’s strategy of dialogue, trust, and development over violence.
Under the Chhattisgarh Naxalism Eradication Policy, Geeta has been granted an immediate incentive of Rs 50,000, with further rehabilitation benefits being processed. Officials said her reintegration will follow the state’s comprehensive framework aimed at restoring lives lost to extremism.
With 238 rebels surrendering over the past three days, including Friday’s mass defection, Bastar is witnessing a rare moment of hope. Security forces believe this could mark a turning point in the fight against Left-Wing Extremism.
Geeta’s surrender, though individual, reflects a broader weakening of the Maoist movement in the region, and may serve as an example for others still active in the fold.