Raipur: At least 10 Naxals, one of them carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head, surrendered in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Dantewada district on Thursday.
The cadres who were active in south Bastar turned themselves in before Dantewada collector Dipak Soni and police and CRPF officials, citing that they were disappointed with the "hollow" Maoist ideology, an official said.
The ultras also stated that the recent surrender of their colleagues as a part of Lon Varratu (return to your home/village) campaign run by the district police had also encouraged them to quit the violence, the official said.
Of the 10 cadres, Baman Sori alias Durgesh (28), who was active as a member of the company no. 2 of Gangaloor area committee of Maoists, was the most dreaded one, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava said.
Sori was allegedly involved in several attacks in the neighbouring Bijapur district, including the Pamulwaya ambush in 2007, in which six security personnel were killed, and Tadkel ambush in 2008, in which six policemen had lost their lives, he said.
He was also involved in the killing of 14 civilians in Gangaloor area of Bijapur in the last couple of months, the official said, adding that he was carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head.
Two other surrendered ultras Mangu Podiyam (35), a militia commander in Katekalyan area committee, and Nandaram Sori (25), a militia platoon commander, were also involved in various attacks and carried rewards of Rs 1 lakh each on their heads, Pallava said.
Nandaram was also involved in the incident of firing at an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter in Gangaloor area in 2008, in which a flight engineer was killed, he said.
Another surrendered ultra, Bhima Mandavi (20) was involved in the killing of a BJP MLA and his three security personnel, who died in an IED explosion in April 2019, he said.
The surrendered cadres were given immediate assistance of Rs 10,000 each and will be provided facilities as per the government's surrender and rehabilitation policy, the official said.
Under the Lon Varratu initiative, the Dantewada police have put up posters and banners in the native villages of 1,600 Naxals, mostly carrying cash rewards on their heads, and appealed them to return to the mainstream.
Since the drive launched in June, 218 Naxals have so far surrendered in the district, the official added.
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(PTI)
