25 Maoists surrender in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada

Three of the surrendered Maoists had a reward of Re 1 lakh each on their head, police said.

Twenty-five lower-rung Maoist cadres surrendered in Dantewada district before the Superintendent of Police (SP) on Thursday.

Dantewada police have launched a campaign called ‘Lon Varratu’ (a local Gondi dialect term which means ‘return to your village’) and have vowed to provide an immediate assistance of Rs 10,000 to everyone who turns themselves in. (AP)

Three of the surrendered Maoists had a reward of Re 1 lakh each on their head, police said.

“On Thursday, a total of 25 Maoists cadres from eight villages surrendered, claiming to be fed-up with the Maoists’ ideology. We have launched a drive 15 days ago to motivate others to surrender too,” SP Dantewada, Abhishek Pallava , told HT.

Dantewada police have launched a campaign called ‘Lon Varratu’ (a local Gondi dialect term which means ‘return to your village’) and have vowed to provide an immediate assistance of Rs 10,000 to everyone who turns themselves in, in addition to facilities as per the government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy.

“In the last 10 days, 53 Maoists have surrendered before the police under this campaign. We are expecting more in the coming days,” the SP added.

Among them is a Maoist couple, who was impressed by the rehabilitation campaign being run by police, and surrendered on Wednesday.

“Prakash Kartami alias Pandu, who was carrying a reward of Rs 2 lakh on his head and his wife Hadme Kartami turned themselves on Wednesday,” said Pallava.