Two Maoists laid down arms in Bijapur while seven did so in Dantewada: Official (Representational)
Nine Maoists, including four with total reward of Rs 16 lakh, surrendered in Bijapur and Dantewada districts of Chhattisgarh's Bastar division, the police said on Saturday.
Two of them laid down arms in Bijapur while seven did so in Dantewada, an official said.
"Makdam Deva (36), who surrendered in Bijapur, was an active member of Jagargunda-Basaguda area committee. He joined the outlawed outfit in 1995, and had a reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head," Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P said.
"Deva was involved in several attacks on police teams, including the Basaguda attack wherein two security personnel were killed, as well as murder of civilians in the area," he added.
In his statement, Deva said he was disappointed as he was denied promotion in the outfit and due to discrimination by senior leaders from other states against those who are from Chhattisgarh, the IG said.
Woman Maoist Sumitra Chepa, who returned to her village last month after she was asked to leave a Maoist camp on June 12 as she showed flu-like symptoms and ultras thought she had contracted coronavirus, also surrendered in Bijapur, he said.
"Chepa was active as section commander of Maoists PLGA battalion no.1 and was involved in attacks in Sukma, including the 2014 Kasalpad attack in which 15 policemen were killed, and Pidmel attack in 2015 wherein three policemen had lost their lives. She carried a reward of Rs 8 lakh on her head," he said.
"Her coronavirus test report is negative, but she is suffering from tuberculosis and is being provided treatment at Bijapur district hospital," he added.
In Dantewada, seven ultras surrendered after being impressed by "Lon Varratu" (return to your village) campaign launched by local police, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava said.
Among them, a woman cadre identified as Hadme Mandavi (20), a member of military platoon no.26, and Lakhma Mandavi (26), a janmilitia commander, were carrying rewards of Rs 2 lakh and Rs 1 lakh on their heads respectively, he added. The rest are lower rung members of the outfit, he added.
Under the initiative, called "lon varratu" in the local Gondi dialect, posters of Maoists are being pasted asking them to return to the mainstream, he added.