Ten CPI (Maoist) operatives surrender amid anti-Naxal operations in Jharkhand

Jamshedpur: The ongoing anti-Naxal operations across the state got a shot in the arm after 10 active members of the CPI (Maoist), including four women, laid down their arms to join the mainstream at a formal programme at Chaibasa in West Singhbhum district on Thursday.DGP Anurag Gupta and senior officials of the CRPF were present at the programme. The surrender came a day after three operatives of another banned extremist outfit, the Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad, were gunned down by the security forces in Gumla district.The Maoists, the police said, surrendered after being motivated by the surrender-cum-rehabilitation policy of the state govt. One of them, Rando Boipai alias Kranti, is an area committee member.The other nine members are Gardi Koda, John alias Johan Purty, Nirso Sido alias Asha, Ghonor Devgam, Gomaiya Koda alias Tarzan, Kaira Koda, Kairi Kayam alias Gulanchi, Savitri Gope alias Muturi, and Pradip Singh Munda.According to the police, the surrendered Maoists are aged between 18 and 22 years and wanted across four police stations of the district in various cases of murder, UAPA Act, Arms Act, Explosives Act, and the Criminal Law Amendment Act.An upbeat Gupta announced at the function that left-wing extremism would be wiped out from the state by the end of this year. “I have the statistics to support my claim,” Gupta said.The DGP also said that while 33 Maoists were killed in encounters with security forces between January and August this year, close to a 100 surrendered during this period. “If around 15 operatives are arrested or killed in combing operations, thrice their number will surrender by December this year. Either the police will arrest and send them to jail, or they will be killed in encounters if they do not give up their arms soon,” he added.In West Singhbhum district alone, once considered a hotbed of Maoists, 9,631 cordon and search operations were carried out in the last three years. During the period, 10 Maoists were killed, 28 surrendered, and 175 others were arrested. However, two top Maoist leaders, Misir Besra and Patiram Majhi alias Anal da, are operating out of the Kolhan division and Saranda forest limits. Both are members of the Eastern Regional Bureau of the outlawed outfit, each carrying a Rs 1 crore bounty on their heads, and they have eluded the security forces so far.