A hardcore Naxal, who was carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head, Friday surrendered before the police in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh, officials said.

According to Sukma police, the Naxal, identified as Madkam Arjun, has been active in South Bastar division since the last 18 years.

He was in-charge of South Bastar division of the Chetna Natya Mandali (CNM)- a cultural wing of Maoists. He had been recruited by Naxals in 1998 when he was still a minor. In 2001, he became a member of the banned CPI (Maoist). Due to his efforts in strengthening the organisation, he was promoted to higher posts, police officials told PTI.

Arjun wrote write poems, plays and speeches, they said.

He was wanted in several cases, including the 2010 Jaraghati (Naraynpur) attack in which five jawans were killed, the 2014 Kasalpad ambush in which 14 jawans were martyred, and 2017 attack on police force near Kottacheru village which claimed the lives of 12 personnel, police said.

Cases are registered against him in different police stations in the state.

Arjun told the police that he surrendered because he was impressed with the provisions of the rehabilitation policy of the state government.

During his interrogation, the Naxal told the police that from 2016, the Naxal movement has considerably weakened in South Bastar division. He also told them that senior Naxal leaders from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana run the organisation and sideline the local cadres.

The surrendered rebel will be given facilities per the surrender and rehabilitation policy of the Chhattisgarh government, police said.

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