Indian police display huge arms haul after declaring end to six-decade Maoist rebellion, with focus shifting to rebel rehabilitation and new identities.

DANTEWADA: Indian police displayed large caches of seized arms and ammunition on Tuesday. The display came a day after officials declared the end of the six-decade-long Maoist insurgency.

The haul in Bastar’s Dantewada district ranged from crude mortars to carbine rifles looted from security forces. Officials said the display signalled that remaining rebels were “joining the mainstream”.

Five former insurgents were presented copies of India’s constitution during the event. Bastar police chief P. Sundarraj said the insurgency’s strength had fallen to “single digits”.

This is down from nearly 4,000 fighters less than half a decade ago. “Mission 2026 is coming to an end,” Sundarraj told AFP, referring to the government’s deadline of defeating the rebellion by March 31, 2026.

He added that surrendered rebels were being given new civilian identities through rehabilitation. “Our focus is to get their violent past to be changed into a new identity,” Sundarraj said.

At a rehabilitation centre, women knitted blouses while men welded metal to build park benches. Former fighter Kope Madvi, 19, said she hoped to set up her own tailoring shop.

“I just want to go back home, farm and feed my family,” said another former rebel, 26-year-old Vijay Oyam. The rebellion controlled nearly a third of India at its peak in the mid-2000s.

It has since been dramatically weakened, with remaining cadres confined to the mineral-rich Bastar region. More than 12,000 rebels, soldiers and civilians have died in the conflict since 1967.

The Maoists said they were fighting for the rights of marginalised indigenous people in forest regions. Mining companies also eye valuable resources in these areas.

 The Sun Malaysia