Chhattisgarh: 19 Naxalites surrender before security forces in Bijapur

Bijapur: At least 19 Naxalites, nine of them carrying a cumulative bounty of Rs 28 lakh, surrendered before security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Monday, a senior police official said.

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.

He said that 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.

Yadav said all the surrendered Naxalites 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 Rs 8 lakh each, he said.

The official said Suresh Kattam (21), an area committee member, carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh, while one of the surrendered cadres had a bounty of Rs 2 lakh, and five others were carrying rewards of Rs 1 lakh each.

He said 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.

All the surrendered Naxalites were provided assistance of Rs 25,000 each and will be rehabilitated as per the government's policy, the official added.

With this, 84 Naxalites have surrendered in Bijapur district of the Bastar range so far this year.

Last year, 792 Naxalites had surrendered in the Bastar region, comprising seven districts.