8 Maoists surrender in Chhattisgarh’s insurgency-hit Dantewada

The police claim that 226 Moaists have surrendered since June under an initiative called Lon Varratu but tribal leaders allege that the initiative has put ordinary tribals in a nut cracker between the Maoists and the police.

Published on: Dec 29, 2020, 16:16:58 IST

Hindustan Times, Raipur | By Ritesh Mishra

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Eight Maoists, including four allegedly involved in the killing of a BJP MLA Bheema Mandavi in April 2019, surrendered in Dantewada district of Bastar region citing their disappointment in the ‘hollow ideology’ of CPI (Maoist), the Chhattisgarh police said on Tuesday.

The eight Maoists who surrendered in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada on Monday. (Chhattisgarh Police)

Police said that the surrendered Maoists were given immediate assistance of ₹10,000 each and will be provided other facilities under the Chhattisgarh government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy.

“Eight Maoists surrendered on Monday evening under our drive which is called ‘Lon Varratu’. Out of these eight, Bhima Barse (28), Sona Tati (20), Madka Barse (21) and Pitte alias Bhima Mandavi (35) among who were among the Maoists involved in the killing of MLA Mandavi,” said Dantewada’s Superintendent of Police (SP), Abhishek Pallava.

The others who surrendered are Aytu Bhaskar (25), section commander in platoon number 13 of Maoists, Raju Karam (25), head of Chetna Natya Mandli and Mahesh Kumar Dodi, the SP added.

“We have started a drive “Lon Varratu” which has been very successful in Dantewada district and till now a total of 226 Maoists have surrendered in the district,” said the SP.

Under “Lon Varratu”, which in local Gondi language means ‘Return Home’, about 50 hypersensitive Maoist villages have been selected and pamphlets about the details of the left-wing rebels have been put in the village by the villagers with an appeal to surrender. The initiative was launched in June.

However, tribal leaders allege that in “Lon Varratu” drive, the common tribals now find themselves trapped between police and Maoists.

“Who has given rights to the police to declare a person as Maoist? Have they submitted the list of Maoists to the court? Common people who are farming in their village are declared as Maoist under this campaign,” said Soni Sori, a tribal leader of Bastar.

She further said that on one hand, the tribals are pressurized to surrender and on the other hand, Maoists torture them for cooperating with police.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

Chhattisgarh

Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather and major national developments.