Hyderabad: Around 64 Maoists surrendered before the police in Bhadradri Kothagudem district on Saturday, March 15. The members belong to Bijapur and Sukma districts of Karnataka and Chhattisgarh respectively.
According to Multi Zone-1 inspector general of police (IGP) Chandrasekhar Reddy, the latest surrender is part of the 122 earlier surrenders in the last three months. The latest surrender includes individuals holding significant positions within the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist).
Officials attributed the surrender to the government’s sustained efforts to encourage Maoists to abandon violence and reintegrate into mainstream society.
The police said that the insurgents were persuaded to surrender after being made aware of the various welfare measures and rehabilitation packages being offered by the state government.
“It is encouraging to see these individuals choose to leave the path of violence and return to society,” SP Rohit Raj said while addressing the media.
Among the 64 Maoists who surrendered, 48 are men while 16 are women. One of the surrendered persons is an area committee member (ACM).
“The surrendered Maoists members carried a cash reward of Rs 25,000,” IGP Reddy told the media.
In February this year, nine members of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) surrendered to the Telangana police in Mulugu district.
The surrendered Maoists are Madakam Unga,32, Madakam Idimi,23, Podiyam Kosa,32, Sodi Jogi, 21, Kunjam Ithe, 20, Sodi Bhudra,32, Kunjam Kosa,31, Podiyam Ithe,18, and Kunjam Kosa,30.
The Maoists decided to lay down their arms after learning about the welfare initiatives of the police and CRPF for tribal communities, as well as the development and rehabilitation support offered to surrendered Maoists through the “Operation Cheyutha” programme, an official release said.
On February 21, a female Maoist leader of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), accused of killing two police officers, surrendered in Telangana’s Warangal district.
The Maoist leader has been identified as Vanjem Kesha. Disclosing details of this surrender, Warangal police commissioner Amber Kishore Jha said that she was a member of Chaitanya Natya Mandali since her childhood.
Similarly, 19 members of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) surrendered to the Bhadradri Kothagudem Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Telangana.
These surrenders included Maoist cadres operating in the Kanker, Bijapur, Dantewada, and Sukma districts of Chhattisgarh.
According to the police, one of the surrendered members held the rank of Divisional Committee Member (DVCM) and had a reward of Rs 8 lakh on their head, while two others were Area Committee Members (ACM), each carrying a reward of Rs 4 lakh.
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