16 Naxalites surrender in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur; 9 of them carry total Rs 48 lakh bounty

The cadres, including seven women, turned themselves in before senior police officials here, Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Robinson Guria said.

Narayanpur: Sixteen Naxalites, nine of them carrying a collective reward of Rs 48 lakh, surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district on Wednesday, a senior police official said.

The cadres, including seven women, turned themselves in before senior police officials here, citing that they were disappointed with the "hollow" and "inhuman" Maoist ideology, atrocities committed by Naxalites on innocent tribals, and increasing pressure from security forces, Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Robinson Guria said.

Of the surrendered, Podiya Markam alias Ratan (34), a deputy commander of military platoon no. 1 of Maoists, Manoj Dugga alias (35), Sumitra alias Sunny Kursam (35) and Vanila Farsa (35), all members of military companies, and Gawade alias Diwakar (45), a divisional committee member, all carried a reward of Rs 8 lakh each, he said.

Among other cadres, Budhu alias Kamlesh Usendi (32), an area committee member, carried a bounty of Rs 5 lakh, and Madda Kunjam (21), Ravi alias Gopal Vadde (23) and Kare Korram (23), all party members, carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh each, he said. The remaining six others were lower-rung members of the banned outfit, he added.

During their interrogation, the surrendered Maoists told the police that top Maoist leaders were the real enemies of tribals as they mislead locals with false promises of protecting water, forest, and land, equality and justice, only to exploit and enslave them, the SP said.

Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range Sundarraj P said, this surrender was clear evidence that the winds of change were blowing across Bastar. Disillusioned by the ideology of violence, fear and exploitation, these youth have chosen the path of peace, education and development. This step marks not only a new beginning for them and their families but also a significant move towards lasting peace and trust in Bastar, he said.

The continued efforts of security forces, growing public support and the positive impact of rehabilitation policies are clearly visible. This surrender will inspire many more Maoists to introspect and return to the mainstream in the coming days, he said. A total of 1,837 Maoists have so far surrendered in the Bastar Range, comprising seven districts, including Narayanpur, in the past 20 months, he added.