Patna, Feb 18 (IANS) Suresh Koda alias Mustakim, a Maoist carrying a reward of Rs 3 lakh on his head, surrendered before the Bihar Special Task Force (STF) on Wednesday along with a cache of arms and ammunition.
He surrendered before senior police officials, including the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Munger range.
According to police, Suresh Koda had been active in the Maoist movement for nearly 25 years and was a member of the Special Area Committee (SAC). Around 60 cases related to Naxalite activities were registered against him in police stations across Munger, Lakhisarai and Jamui districts.
Police alleged that he was involved in several major incidents, including multiple murders, and frequently used sophisticated firearms such as AK-47 rifles.
During the surrender, security personnel recovered a significant quantity of arms and ammunition, including two INSAS rifles, one AK-47 rifle, one AK-56 rifle, 10 magazines and cartridges for INSAS, SLR and AK-series rifles. A total of 505 cartridges were seized, officials said.
Senior police officers stated that sustained anti-Maoist operations in the hilly and remote areas of Munger district have considerably weakened the organisation’s activities in the region. Continuous pressure from security forces reportedly led to Koda’s surrender.
Police also pointed to recent surrenders as part of the impact of intensified operations. On December 28, 2025, three Maoist commanders carrying rewards — Babulal Koda, Narayan Koda and Vinod Koda — had surrendered. Earlier, on July 27, 2025, a member of an active Maoist squad also laid down arms.
Officials said the latest surrender reflects the growing impact of coordinated operations against Maoist groups in Bihar and indicates a steady decline in their activities in the state.
Maoist activities have witnessed a significant reduction in recent years due to sustained and coordinated operations by the Bihar STF and the CRPF’s CoBRA battalion. These forces have carried out extensive anti-Maoist drives across key affected districts, including Gaya, Nawada, Aurangabad, Rohtas and Kaimur, as well as parts of Munger, Lakhisarai and Jamui, leading to an improvement in the internal security situation.
–IANS
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