17 Naxalites, including nine with Rs 24 lakh bounty, surrender in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur

Seventeen Naxalites, nine of them collectively carrying a cash reward of Rs 24 lakh on their heads, surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Thursday, a senior police official said.

The cadres, including a couple, turned themselves in before senior police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officials here, he said.

The Naxalites cited disappointment with the “hollow” and “inhuman” Maoist ideology, exploitation of innocent tribals by senior cadres and increasing influence of security forces, Bijapur Senior Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Yadav said.

They were also impressed with the ‘Niya Nellanar' (your good village) scheme under which security forces and administration have been striving to provide basic amenities and carry out development works in interior areas, he said.

All the surrendered Naxalites were active in different capacities in the Gangaloor area committee of the outlawed Maoist organisation, he said.

Of them, Dinesh Modiam (36), a divisional committee member of Maoists, was wanted in 26 cases in Bijapur district and carried a reward of Rs 8 lakh, the senior police official said.

Modiam's wife Jyoti Tati, alias Kala Modiam (32), and Dula Karam (32), both active as area committee members, carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh each, he added.

Six of the surrendered cadres carried a bounty of Rs 1 lakh each, he said.

District Reserve Guard, Bastar Fighters, Special Task Force, CRPF and its elite unit CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) played a crucial role in the surrender of these Naxalites, Yadav said.

The cadres were provided assistance of Rs 25,000 each and will be further rehabilitated as per the government's policy to integrate them into the mainstream, he added.

So far this year, 65 Naxalites have surrendered in Bijapur district of the state's Bastar range.

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