Nagpur: It was a poignant milestone for security forces, when former Maoist ideologue Bhupathi, who had a violent past before dropping guns, stopped to pose for a photo in front of Bapu Kuti in Wardha, where father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi spent several years preaching non-violence.Fifty-three surrendered guerrillas, many of whom spent decades in the dense Dandakaranya jungles with little exposure to the outside world, got their first comprehensive glimpse of Maharashtra through a specially organised five-day ‘Maharashtra Darshan’ tour.The former cadres and their leaders are now busy integrating into the mainstream to gain insight into their state’s cultural, social, economic and traditional life.Conducted by Gadchiroli Police from July 12 to July 16, the tour covered five districts, including Nagpur city, Sambhajinagar, Wardha and other prominent locations, marking a big leap in their journey towards integration into the mainstream.The group included 33 men, 20 women, among them 11 ex-revolutionary leaders, mostly tribal, who held positions at various levels in the movement.Majority were former area committee-level cadres from the batch of 61 who laid down arms on October 15 in 2025 along with Bhupathi. Most of them joined People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) before turning 20, with a significant number being women, said an official.“Over half remained unmarried, and their knowledge of the world was limited to jungles and surrounding tribal areas. Even Aadhaar cards were possessed by fewer than 10 initially,” said the official.Gadchiroli SP M Ramesh underlined purpose of the initiative. “We wanted to show socio-economic and cultural aspects of Maharashtra and economic development and modern transportation systems. Majority surrendered guerrillas hadn’t seen a train or a railway station, so we took them to Ballarshah,” SP Ramesh stated. The sight of a moving train fulfilled their long-cherished dream.Three buses, a food supply vehicle, security personnel, and support staff facilitated a smooth, incident-free journey spanning more than 3,000 kilometres.Key stops included Nagpur’s Deekshabhoomi, a multinational food company’s manufacturing unit, Lonar Lake, Ajanta and Ellora caves, Shegaon, Daulatabad Fort, Bibi Ka Maqbara in Sambhaji Nagar, and Sevagram in Wardha. Bhupathi described the tour as “the first step towards a social study.”On their return, the 53 participants reviewed the experience positively, viewing it as the start of deeper social inquiry and self-reflection, said an official.
