Once regarded as an almost impregnable redoubt for India’s Maoist insurgency, the jungles of Abujhmad are now seeing a sustained and significant wave of defections. In an exclusive field report for Aaj Tak, former cadres who have laid down their weapons described the gruelling reality of life inside the movement and a growing sense among many that the armed struggle has effectively run its course. Their testimony paints a picture of exhaustion, fear, and pragmatic surrender rather than ideological capitulation.
Among the surrenderers was Sukhlal Jhurry, a doctor who once carried an ₹8 lakh bounty on his head. Jhurry spoke frankly about his past role treating injured fighters and, in his words, performing sterilisation procedures on comrades to stop them from starting families. “We are living a peaceful life now,” he said. “Those who remain in the forest should join the mainstream. Nobody wants to die; everyone wants to live at least a few days.” His comments underline how survival, not ideology, has come to dominate many former rebels’ thinking.
Another notable defector, Arun Kumra, claimed to have served as the bodyguard to the notorious commander Hidma. Kumra said he joined the movement at 16, and over the years, he endured the relentless hardships of jungle life. “Police pressure is very high now; we feared being killed at any time. Life in the jungle was very hard, now we are happy after surrender,” he told reporters, urging remaining leaders such as Hidma and Sangram to lay down arms or face the risk of being killed.
Perhaps the most consequential conversions from insurgent to informant are those like ‘Arab’ — formerly known as Kamlesh — who once worked in Maoist intelligence and was implicated in the 2010 ambush that killed 76 CRPF personnel. Now, Arab says, he actively cooperates with the District Reserve Guard to provide intelligence on his former comrades. “After surrendering, I realised how much had changed on the ground. Those who don't give up arms will be destroyed,” he warned, signalling a dramatic shift in loyalties that weakens the rebels’ operational security.
Even armed couples have been coming out of the forests. Mangtu, who took up arms as a teenager and trained to fire AK-47s alongside his wife, explained why they surrendered: relentless operations in the Maad area left them no choice if they wanted to survive. He also revealed that sterilisation was common: “We have been sterilised, so we cannot have children,” he admitted, underscoring the movement’s brutal human costs. Today, he says the contrast is striking — a life once plagued by mosquitoes and constant danger has been replaced by relative calm in a nearby town.
Security officials view this exodus as more than anecdotal: they describe it as a turning point in the government’s counter-insurgency roadmap, Mission 2026, which aims to dismantle Maoist influence in the central tribal belt. Bastar Range IGP Sundar Raj told Aaj Tak that since 2024, more than 450 Maoists — including several senior commanders — have surrendered and authorities have recovered over 550 weapons. He warned those still hiding in the forests: “If they do not surrender, they will be eliminated.”
Large-scale operations and targeted offensives have increased pressure on insurgent leadership and rank-and-file alike. Authorities reported that on October 17 alone, more than 210 cadres surrendered from Abujhmad, and over 300 gave up arms in the preceding ten days. Police and civil administration officials say fresh surrender camps and trust-building meetings in villages are being used to facilitate rehabilitation and reintegration of ex-combatants into civilian life.
Local officials emphasise the social and psychological dimensions of recovery, noting that efforts now extend beyond disarmament to healing long-standing trauma. Narayanpur’s Superintendent of Police said new camps and community outreach programmes aim to address “20–25 years of trauma” suffered by those trapped in Abujhmad’s forests. The combination of sustained security pressure, active deradicalisation programming, and the pragmatic appeals of surrendered cadres appears to be reshaping the conflict’s landscape.
Taken together, the testimonies and the statistics point to a broader, historic shift: an insurgency that once seemed eternal is now fragmenting under combined military, administrative, and community efforts. For many former fighters, the calculus has shifted from romanticised resistance to a simple desire for life, safety, and the possibility of rebuilding families and livelihoods. Whether the state’s reintegration programs can convert these surrenders into lasting peace will be the critical test in the months and years ahead.
