Senior Maoist leader Anant surrenders in Gondia 2 days after appealing 3 CMs to halt anti-insurgency operations

“There are multiple factors that led to his surrender. We tried to convince him, and the operations were also going on, and probably he felt that this was the right time to surrender,” Ankit Goyal, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Gadchiroli Range), Camp Nagpur, told The Indian Express on Friday.

“We convinced him that how many people you have with you can surrender; the rest can come later. His logic was…he needed time to gather his colleagues. We impressed upon him that this is a futile exercise. If you come, all of your colleagues impressed by you will follow; that’s how he came. He had 10 people with him,” Goyal added.

DIG Goyal said that Anant was one of the major Maoist leaders in the MMC area. “Above him is only one CC [Central Committee] member, who is Ramdher. Anant has done well for his party in this area. Hence, people from the area are impressed with him. Now that he has surrendered, others will follow. We have already ensured their safety,” he said.

Terming Anant’s surrender “significant”, DIG Goyal said, “This area was built up by two people, one is Anant, and another is Milind Teltumbde, who died in 2021. Very few of the veterans of the area, who know the people, are left. There is a problem of public connect, and it will be an issue. As it is, the MMC weakened after Milind died.”

“Ramdher’s group is still there in the northern part of the region, but we are sure that he will surrender soon,” Goyal added.

Police expect more surrenders from the same zone

Gondia Superintendent of Police (SP) Gorakh Bhamare said that Anant had earlier expressed his desire to return to the mainstream through press notes addressed to chief ministers, which led to the beginning of the efforts by the police.

“There are several individuals who act as sympathisers and provide Maoists with rations and other essentials. We have information about such networks, and we prefer to engage through them first. We ask them to convey our message to the cadres inside. We had communicated with Anant the same way, and our team was also in contact with him,” Bhamare said. “We assured them that the police would ensure a safe surrender and facilitate their rehabilitation,” he added.

A senior police officer said the group was desperate to surrender after Hawk Force Inspector Ashish Sharma was martyred in a recent encounter. The Madhya Pradesh Police had been tracking them closely, and the Maoists were looking for a safer opportunity to surrender, which they eventually sought in Maharashtra, the officer added.

According to the officer, the group primarily operated in the Gondia region and had no direct connection with Gadchiroli. Over 25 Maoists from the MMC zone are still active, and more surrenders from the same zone are expected in the coming days, he said, adding that several cadres are injured and currently in hiding.

Group surrendered with guns, rifles

The 11 surrendered cadres were armed with AK-47, SLR, INSAS rifles, 303 guns, and other weapons, while several members wore Maoist uniforms. The Maharashtra government had announced a total bounty of Rs 47.90 lakh on the group collectively.

While Anant, who had bounties of ₹15 lakh and ₹90,000 on him, surrendered with an AK‑47 and two magazines, Nagsu alias Golu alias Pandu Pusu Wadde, 35, divisional committee member (DVCM) and commander of the Darrekasa Area Committee, surrendered with an SLR, two magazines, and 15 rounds. Wadde carried bounties of ₹5 lakh and ₹90,000 for possession of weapons.

Other who surrendered include Rano alias Rammi alias Rame Yeshu Narote, 30, DVCM; Santu alias Tijauraam Dharmapal, 35, member of the Darrekasa Area Committee; Sangita alias Shevanti Raising Pandhre, 32, member of the Darrekasa Area Committee; Anuja alias Nakke Suklu Kara, 55, technician in the Darrekasa Area Committee; Puja alias Jugni alias Sannu Mudium, 27, personal guard to Anant; Dinesh alias Sadu Pulai Soti, 30, member of the Darrekasa Area Committee; Ramko alias Shila Chamru Madavi, 40, technician in the Darrekasa Area Committee, Arjun alias Ritu Bhima Doddi, 20, Anant’s guard; and Pratap alias Samar alias Kashiram Rajayya Bantula, 62.

The surrender was facilitated under the guidance of SP Bhamare, with the active involvement of the Naxal Cell, Gondia Police, and C-60 Commando teams.

Under the Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy implemented by the Maharashtra government since 2005, cheques were distributed to the surrendered members from the Security Related Expenditure fund.

With rehabilitation, counselling, livelihood support, and reintegration assistance, police claim that 37 Maoists have surrendered before Gondia police over the years, signalling a continuous weakening of armed insurgency in the region.

As per the Gondia police, 13 Maoists have so far surrendered in 2025.