The very first year of the policy saw surrender by 62 Naxalites, followed by 64 the next year, and 39 in 2007. The year 2008 saw 142 surrenders, a record which remains unbroken to the current year 2023. Rattled by the surrenders in such big numbers, the Maoists committed certain acts of terror against the cops. Despite that, there were surrenders albeit lesser in number than that before. However, since 2013, once again the number rose to 48. Till 2019, the surrenders were in double-digit. Even during the COVID-19 period, albeit in single-digit, the Maoists kept surrendering. In 2023, four Maoists have surrendered so far and have joined the mainstream. Owing to surrender of many Maoists, the strength of the dalams of the outlaws has declined over the years. According to Gadchiroli Police, a total of 661 Maoists have surrendered till date. The surrendered Naxalites include one Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) member, 12 Divisional Commanders, 23 Commanders, 36 Deputy Commanders, 360 Dalam members of the banned CPI (Maoist), 112 members of Area Raksha Dal (ARD) or Gram Raksha Dal (GRD), and 117 Sangam members. Many of them surrendered with arms including rifles, cartridges, grenade, and other explosives. As per the officials figures with Gadchiroli Police, an amount of Rs 9,56,66,775/- has been spent on the Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy.

 

As per the provisions of the Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy, the surrendered Maoists have been given a piece of land measuring, and monetary compensation based on their ranks. “Gadchiroli Police has gone out of way to help them in construction of houses on the land allocated, starting small shops, empowering them by providing employment and self-employment opportunities under our Civic Action Programme. For example, several surrendered women Naxals have formed Navjeevan Utpadak Sangh from which Gadchiroli Police procure around 3,000 bottles of high-quality floor cleaners/phenyl every month, to be used in all police establishments across the district. Apart from this, they have been provided space in a leading supermarket of Gadchiroli to showcase and sell their phenyl products to Gadchiroli residents,” said Neelotpal, Superintendent of Police, Gadchiroli. Neelotpal told ‘The Hitavada’ that the success of the Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy could be gauged from the fact that the Maoists were finding it difficult to recruit new cadres. As a result, their strength and influence both had dwindled in Gadchiroli district. From several Dalams, now the strength of the Maoists has been reduced to only a few Dalams -- Aheri, Perimili, Chatgaon-Kasansur (now merged), Gatta, and Company No 10. These also are not much active now owing to alertness of the security forces, he added.