Chhattisgarh: 26 Naxalites surrender before security forces

In Chhattisgarh, 26 Naxalites, including three carrying bounties, surrendered on Monday before security forces in the Dantewada district, said police. This comes amid the government's efforts to make the state Naxal-free. According to Dantewada Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai, the cadres surrendered before senior officials from the police and CRPF, expressing their disillusionment with the hollow and inhuman Maoist ideology. They also cited the hardships of living in the forest and internal conflicts within the banned organisation as reasons for laying down arms.He said the surrendered Naxalites belonged to Janmiltia, Revolutionary Party Committee (RPC) and Janatana Sarkar wings of Maoists and their frontal units like Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisan Majdoor Sangthan (DAKMS) and Chetna Natya Mandli (CNM).
Of the surrendered cadres, Rajesh Kashyap, who served as the Aamdai area Janmilitia commander, had a bounty of Rs 3 lakh. Kosa Madvi, head of the Janatana Sarkar squad, carried a Rs 1 lakh reward, while Chhotu Kunjam, a member of the CNM (Chetna Natya Manch), had a Rs 50,000 bounty, according to officials.  The 111th, 195th, 230th, and 231st CRPF battalions, along with the local intelligence unit, played a crucial role in facilitating the surrender.
In recent months, there has been a series of encounters between security forces and Naxals, with many insurgents being eliminated. However, a positive shift has emerged as several Naxals are now opting for surrender. With this development, a total of 953 Naxalites, including 224 with cash rewards, have now given up arms in Dantewada under the ‘Lon Varratu’ campaign, which was launched in June 2020 to encourage rebels to return to the mainstream. In 2024 alone, 792 Naxalites have surrendered across the Bastar region, which includes seven districts like Dantewada, officials added.