Ten Maoists, carrying total reward of Rs 65 lakh, surrender in Chhattisgarh
Raipur/Sukma, Nov 28
In a significant setback to Left Wing Extremism (LWE) in the Bastar region, ten Naxalites, including senior Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) member Chaitu alias Shyam Dada, who carried a reward of Rs 25 lakh on his head, surrendered before security forces in Sukma district on Friday.
Chaitu, considered one of the masterminds behind the deadly 2013 Jhiram Valley attack that wiped out almost the entire Congress state leadership, had been heading the Darbha division of CPI (Maoist) for several years.
He was among the most wanted Maoist commanders active along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border, police officials informed.
The other surrendered cadres include Divisional Committee Member (DCVM) Saroj alias Urmila (Rs 8 lakh reward), Area Committee Members (ACMs) Bhupesh alias Sahayak Ram, Prakash, Kamlesh alias Jhitru, Janani alias Raymati Kashyap, Santosh alias Sannu, and Naveen, besides Party Members (PM) Ramshila and Jayanti Kashyap.
The total reward amount for the ten surrendered Naxalites stands at Rs 65 lakh.
Police officials said mounting pressure from relentless "anti-Naxal" operations by DRG, Bastar Fighters, CRPF and other security forces, coupled with large-scale surrenders of senior Maoist leaders in recent months and repeated appeals by the Chhattisgarh government, prompted the group to lay down arms.
All ten cadres surrendered before senior police and district administration officials in Sukma and expressed their desire to join the mainstream.
They will be provided rehabilitation benefits as per the state government's surrender and rehabilitation policy.
The surrender comes close on the heels of several high-profile Maoist leaders giving up arms this year, reflecting growing disillusionment within the outlawed outfit and the success of coordinated security operations and development outreach in the region.
With this, the security forces have dealt yet another major blow to the Maoist structure in south Bastar, an area once considered the nerve centre of Naxal activity in Chhattisgarh.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Rs 65 lakh total reward! That's huge money. But more importantly, this surrender will weaken the Maoist structure significantly. The government's surrender policy seems to be working well. Hope this brings peace to Bastar region.
While I appreciate the surrender, I hope the government ensures these former Maoists are properly rehabilitated and don't just return to their old ways. The rehabilitation process needs to be monitored closely.
Chaitu's surrender is particularly significant given his role in the 2013 attack. This shows that even the most hardened Maoists are realizing there's no future in violence. Kudos to our security forces for their relentless operations! 🇮🇳
Good to see women Maoists like Saroj/Urmila and Janani also surrendering. Many join this path due to circumstances. Hope they get proper support to rebuild their lives. The government should focus on development in these areas to prevent youth from joining such movements.
This is a positive development, but let's not forget the root causes that lead people to extremism. While security operations are necessary, long-term peace will only come through education, employment opportunities, and addressing tribal rights issues in these regions.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.