Bhubaneswar/Raipur, March 1:Fifteen Naxalites, active along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border, voluntarily surrendered before security forces in Mahasamund district, Chhattisgarh, today.

The group, which was part of the Maoist faction operating in the Balangir-Bargarh-Mahasamund region, included high-ranking Naxal leader Vikas, a Special Zonal Committee member, and nine women.

According to Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, the group’s surrender marks a significant step in the state’s ongoing efforts to neutralize Naxal activities in the region. The move is being hailed as a major success in the implementation of the state’s rehabilitation policy.

Sharma, who also holds the Home portfolio, expressed his satisfaction with the development, emphasizing its importance for the peace and stability of the state.