28 Naxalites quit arms: Group with Rs 89 lakh bounty surrenders in Chhattisgarh; cites govt scheme as reason

NEW DELHI: Twenty-eight Naxalites, including 19 women and 22 cadres carrying a cumulative reward of Rs 89 lakh, surrendered before senior police officers in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district on Tuesday, officials said.

According to inspector general of police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj Pattilingam, the group cited their decision was driven by the state government's 'Niyad Nellanar’ (your good village) development initiative, the new surrender-and-rehabilitation policy, and the Bastar police’s “Poona Margham (rehabilitation for social reintegration)” programme.




Of those who surrendered, four senior operatives - Pandi Dhruv alias Dinesh (33), a divisional committee member, and Dule Mandavi alias Munni (26), Chhattis Poyam (18) and Padni Oyam (30), all from Military Company No. 6 of the Maoists’ East Bastar division - each carried an Rs 8 lakh reward.

Six others, including Lakhmu Usendi (20), Sukmati Nureti (25), Sakila Kashyap (35), Shambatti Shori (35), Chaite alias Rajita (30) and Budhra Rava (28), had bounties of Rs 5 lakh each.

Police said that Dinesh, Lakhmu and Sukmati surrendered weapons - a Self Loading Rifle (SLR), an INSAS rifle and a .303 rifle.

Pattilingam said the trend reflected a shift on the ground. “The rehabilitation of 28 Maoist cadres in Narayanpur indicates that the end of the violent and anti-people Maoist ideology is near. People are reposing faith in the ‘Poona Margham’ initiative and choosing the path of peace and dignity,” he said. He added that over the last 50 days, more than 512 cadres have joined the mainstream across the Bastar range’s seven districts.

Narayanpur SP Robinson Guria said Tuesday’s surrender takes the district’s tally to 287 cadres giving up arms this year. He added that senior Maoist leaders - including politburo member Devji, central committee member Ramdar, and Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee members Pappa Rao and Barse Deva - now have “no option but to renounce violence and join the mainstream.”

Police officials said around 2,200 Naxalites, including top operatives, have surrendered in Chhattisgarh over the last 23 months.
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