Raipur: In a significant development in Chhattisgarh’s battle against insurgency, Geeta, also known as Kamli Salam, a female Maoist commander active in Kondagaon district, surrendered to police authorities on Saturday.
Her defection follows Friday’s historic mass surrender, where 210 Naxalites, including senior leaders, laid down arms in Jagdalpur, signaling a major shift in the region’s decades-long Maoist conflict.
Profile of the Commander
Geeta, who served as the Tailor Team Commander of the East Bastar Division, carried a bounty of ₹5 lakh announced by the Chhattisgarh government. She surrendered before Superintendent of Police Akshay Kumar, citing disillusionment with the movement and inspiration from the recent wave of surrenders.
Police sources indicated that her decision was influenced by:
- Intensified anti-Naxal operations
- Growing internal discord within the Maoist ranks
- The symbolic gesture of rebels embracing the Indian Constitution during Friday’s Jagdalpur ceremony.
The Historic Mass Surrender
During the Jagdalpur surrender, the 210 Maoists — including a Central Committee member and four Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee leaders — handed over 153 weapons, ranging from AK-47s to grenade launchers.
The event, attended by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, was hailed as a testament to the government’s strategy of combining trust, dialogue, and development over violence. Geeta’s surrender adds further momentum to this initiative.
Incentives and Reintegration
Under the Chhattisgarh Naxalism Eradication Policy, Geeta has received:
- An immediate incentive of ₹50,000
- Further rehabilitation benefits as part of a comprehensive framework aimed at restoring lives lost to extremism
Officials highlighted that her reintegration symbolizes a broader unraveling within the Maoist ranks and could inspire others still in the fold.
A Turning Point for Bastar
With 238 rebels surrendering over the past three days, including Friday’s mass defection, the Bastar region is witnessing an unprecedented moment of hope. Security forces believe this trend could mark a turning point in the fight against Left-Wing Extremism, combining pressure with rehabilitation outreach to bring cadres back to mainstream society.
Geeta’s surrender, though solitary, reflects the collective reckoning of a movement losing its grip on territories it once fiercely controlled.