Two members of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) have surrender before the officials of the police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, July 2. The surrendered Maoists were carrying a cumulative bounty of Rs 10 lakhs on their heads.
Maoist commanders Sodhi Gajendra and Sodhi Manjula alias Manjula Madkam carrying a bounty of Rs5 lakh each turned themselves before Superintendent of Police (SP), Sukma, Kiran Chauhan and DIG, CRPF, Surajpal Verma and surrendered.
Both Gajendra and Manjula who have joined the mainstream are inspired by the surrender cum rehabilitation policy of the State government as well as the Niyad Nellanaar (Your good village) scheme, a flagship initiative undertaken by the government to provide with the benefits associated with the government schemes to the residents of Maoist affected villages.
According to the reports, the female cadre Manjula was associated with the Maoist outfit for over two decades while Gajendra had joined the group in 2009. Both of them were reported to be active in the Konta Area Committees of the outlaws and were assigned with the roles of Civil Organisation commander and Local Organisation Squad commander.
It’s been learned that both the surrendered cadres were involved in carrying out various unlawful activities during their stay years with the banned outfit. They have been provided with an immediate assistance of Rs 25000 each.
It must be noted that of late the Deputy Chief Minister of the State, Vijay Sharma has time and again appealed to the Maoist to join the mainstream while asserting that the government is open to talks with the Maoist and will even engage with small groups of the outlaws who are willing to talk.
Notably over 400 Maoist have so far surrendered before the police in separate districts of Chhattisgarh in the last six months alone. This comes amidst the Vishnu Deo Sai led government earlier gave a node to intensify counter-insurgency campaigns against the Maoists with an aim to eradicate the menace of red terror from the State within the next few years as announced by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
