Six Naxals, including two couples, surrender in Chhattisgarh

DANTEWADA: Six Naxals, five of them collectively carrying a reward of Rs 15 lakh on their heads, surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district on Friday, a police official said.

The cadres, including two couples, turned themselves in before the police and the CRPF officials here citing that they were impressed by the police'ss rehabilitation drive 'Lon Varratu' and disappointed with the "hollow" Maoist ideology, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava said.

Of the six cadres, Kamlu alias Santosh Podiam (25), a member of platoon number 16 in Indravati area committee of Maoists, and his wife Payke Kowasi (22), in-charge of Mad division's tailoring team, were carrying a reward of Rs 3 lakh each on their heads, he said.

Similarly, Linga Ram Uikey (36), a supply team member, and his wife Bhume Uikey (28), a member of platoon no. 26, carried a reward of Rs 2 lakh each, he said.

These four Naxals were active in the banned outfit for the last 15 years in various capacities, he said.

The two couples in their statement also said that they decided to escape from their units after they felt that there was a threat to their lives by senior cadres who had expressed doubt over their allegiance towards the banned outfit without any reason, he said.

Among the two other surrendered women cadres, Kumari Jogi (36), a member of Katekalyan area committee, had been allegedly involved in various naxal attacks on police teams in the district since 2007, Pallava said adding that she carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh on her head.

Pande Kawasi, a member of CNM (Chetna Natya Mandli- a cultural wing of Maoists) surrendered along with her, he added.

With this, 316 Naxals have so far surrendered in the district under the 'Lon Varratu' (return to your home/village) campaign, launched in June last year, he said.

Under the 'Lon Varratu' (term coined in local Gondi dialect) initiative, Dantewada police have put up posters and banners in the native villages of at least 1,600 Naxals, mostly carrying cash rewards on their heads, and appealed them to return to the mainstream.

Surrendered cadres are also being provided skill development training in different disciplines for their rehabilitation, the official said.