Why Did 24 Maoists Carrying Rs 84 Lakh Bounty Surrender in Bijapur?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- 24 Maoists surrendered in Bijapur with a total bounty of Rs 84 lakh.
- The surrender occurred 48 hours after the death of their leader.
- Government rehabilitation policies are credited for encouraging this decision.
- The district has seen significant anti-Maoist operations this year.
- This development marks a potential turning point in the fight against Maoism.
Raipur, May 23 (NationPress) A total of 24 hardened Maoists, who together held a bounty of Rs 84 lakh, surrendered at the Bijapur district headquarters just 48 hours after the demise of CPI (Maoist) general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao, commonly known as Basavaraju.
Among those who surrendered were Hanumath Rao, the deputy commander of company number two of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), along with his wife, Mangali Korsa, who is a member of the Platform Party Committee (PPCM) in the same unit.
The surrender was confirmed by Dr. Jitendra Kumar Yadav, the Bijapur district superintendent of police. Hanumath had a bounty of Rs 10 lakh, while his wife was listed with a Rs 8 lakh reward.
Other notable Maoist leaders who surrendered include Sampat Panum, a PPCM in company number seven of PLGA, and his wife Laxmi, also a PPCM in that unit.
Furthermore, Raju Fasa and Dasari Kunjam, both from company number two, along with Mukka Madvi and Arjun Madvi from the notorious battalion number one of PLGA, also joined the surrender.
Each of them was carrying a bounty of Rs 8 lakh.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai commended the Maoists for opting to reintegrate into society.
He stressed that the surrender of these 24 individuals, with rewards ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 10 lakh, is a direct outcome of his government’s rehabilitation initiatives for former Maoists.
According to the Bijapur SP, this year, the district has experienced vigorous anti-Maoist operations, resulting in the deaths of 119 Maoists in various encounters.
In addition, 237 individuals were arrested, and 227 surrendered during this timeframe. This wave of surrenders follows a significant operation in the Abujhmad jungle in Narayanpur district, where Basavaraju and 26 other Maoists were killed in an encounter on May 21.
These recent events indicate a notable change in the ongoing efforts to combat the Maoist insurgency in the region.