In a major breakthrough for security forces in Maoist-infested Sukma district of Chhattisgarh, a Maoist commander carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh has surrendered before the forces, informed police on Monday, February 26.
The surrendered cadre has been identified as Nagesh alias Erra, company commander of the People’ Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) battalion no 1. According to the details shared by the police, Nagesh was working as the company commander of company no 2 of the PLGA battalion no 1, the strongest unit of the outlaws headed by notorious Maoist commander Barse Deva.
A resident of Mangalgonda of Nagalguda, Nagesh joined the outlawed CPI Maoist in the year 2003 and rose to the rank of company commander in 2015. The surrender occurred under the flagship Poorna Narkom, a gondi term meaning new morning campaign being run by the administration and the security forces jointly.
In a briefing about the development, Superintendent of Police (SP), Sukma Kiran Chauhan, informed Nagesh that Nagesh was fed up with the hollow ideology of the Maoist and decided to part ways with the outfit after getting impressed with the surrender and rehabilitation policy.
The policy of development of the administration, which has instilled hope in the masses including the opening of the security camps in remote regions which has paved way for the development of interior areas have inspired Nagesh to surrender. I would take this opportunity to make an appeal to the other Maoists to follow the suit and surrender before the police, added SP Chauvhan.
Notably, the surrender of a company commander associated with battalion no 01 marks its significance as it is considered as the strongest formation of the Ultras. The cadres associated with Maoist battalion no 01 are reported to be equipped with sophisticated weapons alongside owning bulletproof jackets and helmets.
The development occurred hours after a security personnel got martyred in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast triggered by the extremists in Bechapal Padampara area of Bijapur district on February 25.
The martyred personnel were later identified as head constable Asish Yadav of Chhattisgarh Armed Forces (CAF), Ashish was a resident of Balia district of Uttar Pradesh and was stationed at Bechapal camp.
Bijapur, Chhattisgarh: Yesterday at 03:30 pm, Chasbal 19/A company head constable Ram Ashish Yadav, posted at Camp Bechapal, died due to a blast of pressure IED planted by Maoists near Bechapal Padampara. Intensive patrolling and search are going on in the area: Police
— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) February 26, 2024
JJMP commander surrenders in Jharkhand
In another significant development reported from Jharkhand, a zonal commander of the outlawed Maoist outfit Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP), a splinter group of the CPI Maoist has also surrendered before the police in Latehar on Sunday, February 25.
According to the details received, Manohar Parahia, the zonal commander of the JJMP along with area commander Deepak Kumar Bhuuiyan has turned themselves before the Jharkhand police and surrendered. Parahia, a resident of Amwathikar under Chipadwar police station limits, was carrying a bounty of Rs 10 lakhs on his head.
The surrender occurred before the senior officials of the Jharkhand police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), where Pahariya was provided with an ex-gratia cheque of Rs 10 lakhs.
Speaking to the media about the development, Rajkumar Lakra, IG Palamu Range while terming it a major success for the police just before the general elections, informed them that the surrender is an outcome of persistent efforts of the forces.
लातेहार जिले में प्रतिबंधित उग्रवादी संगठन JJMP के जोनल कमांडर 10 लाख के इनामी मनोहर परहिया ने JJMP के एरिया कमांडर दीपक कुमार भुइयाँ उर्फ कुंदन जी के साथ , पुलिस महानिरीक्षक पलामू प्रक्षेत्र, पुलिस उप-महानिरीक्षक CRPF पलामू रेंज, पुलिस अधीक्षक ,लातेहार के समक्ष किया आत्मसमर्पण l pic.twitter.com/0FM0lYStZD
— Latehar Police (@LateharPolice) February 23, 2024
It is worth mentioning here that off late the security forces have amplified the counter insurgency drives in the States affected by the left wing insurgency. The growing presence of the forces along with augmenting counter insurgency operations in these regions have led to the surrender of a number of former cadres of the banned outfit in recent times.
