16 maoists with ₹39 lakh cumulative bounty lay down arms in Ranchi

Sixteen Maoists, including five women and six individuals carrying a combined bounty of ₹39 lakh, surrendered before the Jharkhand Police in Ranchi on Tuesday. Among those laying down arms was Santosh Mahto, alias Basudev Da, a regional committee member of the banned CPI (Maoist) who was wanted in 128 cases and carried a ₹15 lakh reward. The surrendering group comprised a regional committee member, a zonal committee member, two sub-zonal committee members, two area committee functionaries, and active cadres. Jharkhand DGP Tadasha Mishra described the development as a major achievement for the state police.

The surrendering cadres included high-profile functionaries such as zonal committee member Chandan Lohra, who carried a reward of ₹10 lakh and was named in 78 cases. Sub-zonal committee members Anil Turi and Sukhlal Birjiyan, each carrying ₹5 lakh bounties, along with area committee members Sudesh Honhaga and Risiv, carrying ₹2 lakh bounties each, also surrendered. The Maoists handed over a significant cache of arms and ammunition, including six INSAS rifles, two AK-47 rifles, 38 magazines, and 1,562 live cartridges to the authorities.

Reaffirming the state's resolve to eradicate extremism, DGP Tadasha Mishra stated that the police remain committed to restoring peace and order across Jharkhand. Police statistics reveal that as part of the ongoing anti-Maoist campaign in 2026, security forces have arrested 93 Maoists, facilitated 45 surrenders, and neutralised 22 insurgents during encounters. The state's rehabilitation policy and continuous counter-insurgency operations continue to encourage cadres to abandon violence and rejoin mainstream society.