In fight against Maoists, Bastar police try a new approach – reaching out to their families

Indian Express

a day ago

Holding village outreach programmes, reaching out to existing Maoist cadres through their families and persuading them to lay down their arms – that's what the Bastar Police plans to do with its new initiative 'Poona Margham'.
Translated as 'New Path', the outreach comes as part of the state government's anti-insurgency push to meet the central government's March 2026 push against the Maoist movement. It also comes months after the state government introduced the 'Naxal Surrender and Victim Rehabilitation Policy-2025'.
According to the police, the campaign aims at having security forces – especially surrendered Maoists recruited into the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Bastar Fighters – reach out to families of existing cadres and persuade them to 'shun violence and join the mainstream'.
'Poona Margham is an initiative in which we will emphasise on reaching out to Maoists and facilitate their surrender and reintegration into society,' Inspector General of Police for Bastar Range Sundarraj P told The Indian Express. 'We will be conducting various community outreach programmes, meeting the family of the existing Maoist cadres and village elders to highlight the need for peace for the region's inclusive development.'
The initiative also promises skill development training, promoting self-employment and livelihood opportunities and providing psychological counselling and social reintegration to surrendered Maoists.
Other measures under the campaign include continuing outreach measures such as medical camps, holding sporting activities and cultural reintegration programmes.
'The campaign is to make the cadres realise that the Maoist outfit is breathing its last and that, now, they are left with only one option — shun violence and join mainstream. They are urged to understand their responsibilities toward their families, society, and nation, and adopt the path of peace, harmony, and rehabilitation,' Sundarraj P said.
Counter-insurgency operations in Chhattisgarh have intensified significantly since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in the state in December 2023. Since then, over 400 Maoists have been killed in the state – 221 in this year alone. Meanwhile, 38 security personnel and 97 civilians have also been killed in Naxal violence during the same period.