As many as 22 Naxalites, carrying collective rewards of Rs. 37.5 lakhs surrendered in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district on Friday, PTI reported citing a senior police official. The surrendered Naxals who were active in the Abhujmad area belonged to Kutul, Nelnar and Indravati area committees under the Maad division of Maoists.
According to PTI, the Maoists surrendered themselves to the Border Security Force (BSF) and Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) officials as they were disappointed with the “hollow” Maoist ideology and growing internal differences within the banned outfit, Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Robinson Guria said.
He also added that they were influenced by the development work that was carried out in the Maad area and wanted to lead a normal life. Of the Naxalites who gave up arms, Manku Kunjam (33), a divisional committee member, carried a reward of Rs. 8 lakh, while three area committee members, identified as Hidme Kunjam (28), Punna Lal alias Boti (26) and Saniram Korram (25), carried a bounty of Rs. 5 lakh each, the official said. Eleven cadres had a bounty of Rs. 1 lakh each, while seven others had Rs. 50,000 each, he said.
Guria said that their surrender has dealt a huge blow to Maoists in the area and the dream of Naxal-free Maad is taking shape. All the surrendered Naxalites were provided assistance of Rs 50,000 each and would be rehabilitated as per the government’s policy.
132 Maoists have quit violence in the district so far this year. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai released a statement stating that “22 Naxalites carrying a bounty of Rs. 37.5 lakh have surrendered in Narayanpur district. Rewards ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 8 lakh had been declared on them. So far, 1,476 Maoists have surrendered to our government (formed in December 2023).”
“Schemes like 'Niyad Nellnar' (your good village) have instilled confidence, and people have been quitting violence and returning to the mainstream of development. We are fully determined for the rehabilitation of these surrendered Naxalites,” the CM added.
With PTI inputs.
