26 Naxals surrender in Chhattisgarh

In a major success for Chhattisgarh police in its fight against Naxalism in Bastar region, 26 ultras, most of them lower rung cadres, surrendered today in the state's worst insurgency-hit Sukma district.

"This is a yet another big achievement for Bastar police whose morale was up in the wake of success achieved in the operations against Maoists last month," Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) S R P Kalluri told PTI.

Security forces had gunned down 18 rebels, most of them commander-rank cadres, in separate gun-battles across Bastar last month. Altogether 26 rebels, five of them carrying cash rewards on their heads, turned themselves in before Sukma Collector Neeraj Bansod, senior police and CRPF officials at Polamapalli police station citing disappointment with the ideology of the outlawed Maoist movement, the IG said.

Those who were carrying rewards for their arrest are Rama head of Janatana Sarkar (Rs 4000 reward), Ashish (Rs 5000) and members of Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisan Majdoor Sangthan (DAKMS)- a frontal outfit of the outlawed CPI (Maoist)- Deva (Rs 5000), Ganga (Rs 5000) and Joga (Rs 1000), he said.

The surrendered rebels were aged between 20-45 years and allegedly involved in several incidents of crime, including loot, arson, attacks on the police party in the region, the IG said. They were working for different sub-groups and frontal outfits of outlawed CPI (Maoist), including jantana Sarkar (people's government), janmilitia, sangham member.

A cash of Rs 10,000 were also given to each of the surrendered rebels as an encouragement money. As per the policy of Chhattisgarh Government, necessary assistance will be provided to them, he added.