The curtains have fallen on a 25-year saga of Naxal dominance in Munger’s hills. Suresh Koda, the elusive Special Area Committee commander with a Rs 3 lakh reward, surrendered Thursday, handing over deadly weapons and marking the district’s liberation from red terror.
A high-profile event at Munger’s police center drew DIG Rakesh Kumar, STF DIG Sanjay Kumar Singh, and DM Nikhil Dhanraj. Koda offloaded an AK-47, AK-56, two INSAS rifles, and 505 bullets, closing the book on his involvement in 60 criminal and insurgent cases.
Pressure mounted from Bihar Police’s year-long offensive: Rajasrai encounter shattered his group, prior surrenders eroded support. December’s trio of commander defections and July’s dropout showed cracks widening into collapse, pushed by state rehab policy and iron-fisted ops.
Koda’s package includes Rs 8 lakh total (reward plus incentive), skills upgrade, employment aid, and full reintegration help. Tearfully, he sought public pardon, swore off Naxalism forever, and hailed the STF amid applause.
Nephew Ranjan Koda spoke for relieved locals: villages safe, kids choosing jobs over guns thanks to welfare push. Officials declare victory through ops-development synergy but commit to eternal watchfulness—more roads, schools, work to root out relapse risks.