Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Al least 20 Maoists surrendered before security forces on Monday. 19 Maoists surrendered in Bijapur district. District Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Yadav said, these Maoists were carrying a cumulative reward of Rs 29 lakh. He said, each Maoist received an incentive amount of Rs 25,000 under the rehabilitation policy of the state government.
In a separate incident, a Maoist with a Rs 1 lakh reward, surrendered before the police in Kondagaon district. Meanwhile, security forces recovered and deactivated a 5-kg IED during a search operation in Dantewada’s Malevahi area.
The cadres, including a couple, turned themselves in before senior officials of the police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), citing disappointment with “hollow” and “inhuman” Maoist ideology, exploitation of innocent tribals by senior cadres and differences brewing within the outlawed outfit, Bijapur Senior Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Yadav said.
They were also impressed with the increasing influence of the security forces, with the setting up of camps and the ‘Niya Nellanar’ (your good village) scheme, under which the authorities have been making efforts to provide basic amenities and carrying out development works in interior areas.
All the surrendered Maoists were active in different capacities in the Andhra Odisha Border (AOB) division and Pamed area committee of Maoists.
Of the surrendered cadres, Deva Padam (30) and his wife Dule Kalmu (28) were active as senior members in Battalion no. 1 of Maoists and carried a reward of ₹8 lakh each.
The District Reserve Guard (DRG), Bastar Fighters, Special Task Force (STF), CRPF and its elite unit CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) played a key role in their surrender.
With this, 84 Maoists have surrendered in Bijapur district of the Bastar range so far this year.
Last year, 792 Maoists had surrendered in the Bastar region, comprising seven districts.
