Four Naxalites with cumulative bounty of Rs 20 lakh surrender in Chhattisgarh's Sukma

Sukma: Four hardcore Naxalites with a cumulative reward of Rs 20 lakh on their heads surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Friday, a police official said.

The surrender comes hours ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to the state. Shah will reach Raipur on Friday night and attend programmes in Dantewada on Saturday.

The ultras, including a woman, surrendered before police and CRPF officials citing disappointment with the hollow and inhuman Maoist ideology, growing differences within the outlawed outfit as well as atrocities on local tribals, Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan said.

"They said they were also impressed by the 'Niyad Nellanar' (your good village) scheme of the state government, which is aimed at facilitating development works in remote villages. Moreover, Naxalites are on the backfoot due to increasing pressure from security forces and because of camps being set up in interior areas," the SP said.

Of the four who have surrendered, Santosh Barse (28) was a member of Maoists' PLGA (Peoples' Liberation Guerrilla Army) battalion no. 1, while Arun alias Madvi Hurra (20) was a member of west Bastar division's company no. 2, he said.

"Barse and Hurra carried a reward of Rs 8 lakh each. Sodhi Mukka (26) and Madvi Roshni carried a reward of Rs 2 lakh each on their heads. Hurra was allegedly involved in the national park area encounter in Bijapur in February this year in which 22 Naxalites were killed and last month's encounter in Bijapur in which 26 ultras were gunned down," he said.

The surrendered Naxalites were provided assistance of Rs 50,000 each and will be further rehabilitated as per the government's policy, Chavan said.

A total of 792 Naxalites have surrendered in Bastar region, comprising seven districts, in 2024, as per police.