10 Naxals surrender in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district

Ten Naxals, including four allegedly involved in the 2018 Nilawaya attack, surrendered in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Dantewada district on Tuesday, police said.

The cadres, who were active in Malangir area committee of Maoists, surrendered before police and CRPF officials, citing that they were impressed by the local police's surrender-cum-rehabilitation campaign 'Lon Varratu' (return to your home/village) and disappointed with "hollow" Maoist ideology, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava said.

Of the surrendered ultras, five were collectively carrying a reward of Rs 10 lakh on their heads, he said.

With this, 187 Naxals have so far surrendered in the district since the drive was launched in June, the official said.

Among the 10 cadres, Madvi Aayta (20), a section deputy commander, Bhima Korram (22) and Mukka Madvi (26), both jan-militia commanders, and Naresh Markam (23) were allegedly part of the squad that attacked police personnel escorting a three-member team of national broadcaster Doordarshan near Nilawaya village on October 30, 2018, ahead of the state Assembly polls, Pallava said.

Three policemen and a DD cameraperson were killed in the attack.

Aayta carried a reward of Rs 2 lakh on his head, while Rs 1 lakh each had been announced for Madvi and Korram, he said.

Two other surrendered cadres Kosa Madkam (25), an area committee member (ACM) of Maoists and Deva Mandavi (22), head of Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisan Mazdoor Sangthan (DAKMS), were carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh and Rs 1 lakh respectively on their heads, he said.

"They all were allegedly involved in several IED blasts targeting security forces in the area," the official said.

The surrendered ultras, in their statement, had said that they were disappointed with "hollow" Maoist ideology and their colleagues' recent surrender as a part of the Lon Varratu campaign had also encouraged them to quit violence, he said.

They were given immediate assistance of Rs 10,000 and will be provided facilities as per the government's surrender and rehabilitation policy, he added.

Under the Lon Varratu initiative, the Dantewada police have put up posters and banners in native villages of 1,600 Naxals, mostly carrying cash rewards on their heads, and appealed them to return to the mainstream.