In a major breakthrough for the police in Maoist infested Sukma district of Chhattisgarh, as many as six Maoists, including two female cadres carrying a collective bounty of Rs 36 lakh on their heads, surrendered before the authorities on Thursday, May 9, said police.
Those who have laid down arms include Area Committee members and members of the People’s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA), battalion no 1, the strongest formation of the armed wing of the outlawed CPI Maoist.
Two of the surrendered cadres have been identified as Dudhi Pojja and his wife, Dudhi Pojje, both members of PLGA battalion no 01 who have been carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh each.
The others have been identified as Jayakka, commander of the Kistaram Area Committee, Kawasi Muda, a member of the Dakshin Bastar division, Renu, alias Madkam Sukka, Jan militia commander of the Aranpur area; and Karam Naranna, a member of the Kistaram Area Committee of the outlawed CPI Maoist. Other than the Maoist couple, the remaining of the cadres were carrying a bounty of Rs5 lakh each on their heads.
The surrender took place under the flagship “Poona Narkom” (meaning new dawn in local Gondi dialect) campaign being jointly undertaken by the police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in the Maoist-hit district.
Briefing the media about the development, Superintendent of Police (SP), Sukma, Kiran Chauvhan, informed that those who have laid down arms were indulged in carrying out separate activities on behest of the banned outfit.
Both Dudhi Pojhe and his wife were members of the headquarters team of battalion no. 01 where, Pojhe was recently promoted as an ACM while another surrendered cadre, Kawasi Muda was active as an instructor. Madkam Sukka alias Renu, was active as a Jan militia commander of Aranpur area under Jagargunda Area committee of the Maoist since 2013, while Karam Nranna, who was active with notorious Maoist Ramanna, was promoted as an ACM member in 2001. He was also running a school of the Jantana Sarkar of the Kistaram Area Committee since 2019, said SP, Sukma.
सुकमा में इनामी नक्सलियों ने किया आत्मसमर्पण।
8-8 लाख के दो इनामी नक्सलियों ने किया सरेंडर।
4 नक्सली पर 5-5 लाख का इनाम। #Sukma pic.twitter.com/ZJaKBTI5FP— News18 MadhyaPradesh (@News18MP) May 9, 2024
Those who have surrendered were involved in various Maoist related activities, including of Minpa and Burkapal attacks. Their surrender reflects the weakening hold of the Maoist group in the region along with the positive impact of the surrender and rehabilitation scheme of the State government, said further SP Chauvhan while making an appeal to the Maoist to join the mainstream.
It is to be noted that in a similar development reported from Boudh district of neighboring Odisha, as many as 9 cadres of the Kalahandi-Kandhamal-Boudh-Nayagarh division of the CPI Maoist had also surrendered before the police on Wednesday, May 8. The development occurred hours after another hardcore Maoist and DVC member of the KKBN division, Samay Madkam had also laid down arms before the Kandhamal police on Tuesday. Madkam was carrying a bounty of Rs 5 lakh on his head.
Maoist killed in encounter near Chhattisgarh- Odisha border
In other news, a joint team of security forces comprising of personnel from Special Operation Group (SOG) and Nabrangpur police have gunned down a Maoist following an exchange of fire near the interstate border of Chhattisgarh-Odisha.
According to the details, the operation was launched on the basis of credible inputs linked to the presence of Maoists in the region following which a joint team was dispatched towards the spot. The encounter took place in the Gariba forest area under the Sobha police station limits of Gariyaband of Chhattisgarh, on Thursday morning.
Following the exchange of fire, the joint team recovered body of a male Maoist, seizing explosive materials from the spot. The identity of the deceased Maoist is yet to be ascertained and more details about the operation is still awaited.
