File picture of security personnel during an anti-Maoist operation in Bastar, Chhattisgarh.
| Photo Credit: PTI
In a letter sent to the Chhattisgarh government, the Bolangir-Bargarh-Mahasamund (BBM) division of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) has offered to lay down its arms and surrender before the authorities.
In the letter, the BBM division that was active along the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border said 15 of its members were willing to join the mainstream and asked Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma to broadcast a message on radio guaranteeing their safety.
Speaking to reporters on Monday (February 23, 2026), Mr. Sharma, who holds the Home portfolio, acknowledged the receipt of the letter and said that he would issue a message on radio.
The purported letter attributed to Vikas, the west sub-zonal secretary of the Maoists, stated that the cadres would come out of their hideous on March 2 or 3 after the radio message would be broadcast.
It adds that the cadres had been planning to surrender earlier but had held back on the plan because they wanted to follow the whole party into surrendering to the government. Notably, Tippiri Tirupati, also known as Devji, the general secretary of the Maoists, along with senior leader Malla Raji Reddy and a few others surrendered in Telangana’s Asifabad district on Sunday (February 22, 2026).
The letter also expressed doubts over the surrender and rehabilitation exercise on two more counts.
“Why aren’t those who surrendered being sent home? Why are they being held in barracks? Will the law take its course after their time is up, trapping them in cases again and entangle them in jail and court?” Vikas asked in the letter.
On MMC special zone
Another question was why the Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh (MMC) special zone, whose cadre surrendered en masse in recent months, continues to be combed and targeted even after the media reported their surrender decision.
In the letter, Vikas also wrote that more cadres would surrender if by renouncing armed struggle and expressing faith in the Constitution, the Maoist party would be recognised as a political party and police cases against them are cancelled.
‘Willing to rehabilitate’
In response to the letter, the Chhattisgarh Deputy CM said that the BBM division had expressed its willingness to rehabilitate to the mainstream while assuring them that their safety would be ensured.
“They have asked about [relaying a] radio message. So, the radio message would be broadcast today and by communicating them through any means, we will complete the process of bringing them back [into the mainstream]. We will spread the red carpet to bring them back. We will take complete care of their health, security and comfort,” he said.
Speaking on the opening day of the Budget Session of the Chhattisgarh Assembly on Monday, Governor Ramen Deka said the State had been rapidly heading towards getting rid of left-wing extremism. He said 532 Maoists were neutralised, 2,704 of them surrendered and 2,004 were arrested in the past two years.
“When the shadow of terror recedes, the light of development spreads automatically and people’s lives are illuminated,” he said.
Published – February 23, 2026 06:50 pm IST
