Representational photo
NEW DELHI: A woman Naxal with a reward of Rs 17 lakh on her head has surrendered in Chhattisgarh on Thursday, marking another significant achievement in the fight against left-wing extremism. Thirty-year-old Kamla Sodi, once a hardcore member of the banned CPI (Maoist), had been active in the Naxal strongholds of the Maad division in Bastar and the Madhya Pradesh-Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh (MMC) zone for 14 years. She worked closely with the group’s military wing under the command of senior Naxal leader Ramdar and was involved in recruitment, propaganda, and attacks on security forces. Her name was listed in police records across three states, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh, which together had announced the reward for her capture.Also read: Bastar outreach: Ambulances, medical teams reach villages first time since Independence; 989 treated KCG superintendent of police Lakshya Sharma said Sodi’s decision to surrender was influenced by the state’s new rehabilitation policy and the visible changes in her home region. Better roads, electricity, and water facilities have started reaching interior villages once cut off by violence. Regular dialogue under community policing, along with government welfare schemes, has also helped build trust among locals. Authorities have given her an immediate relief of Rs 50,000, with more benefits to follow under the 2025 Rehabilitation Policy. Her surrender follows a growing trend. Nearly 300 Naxalites in Chhattisgarh and 60 in Maharashtra laid down their arms last month. The Centre aims to eliminate Naxalism by March 2026.