Chhattisgarh: 22 Maoists with ₹37.5 lakh bounty surrender in Narayanpur
Chhattisgarh Raipur: Twenty-two Maoists with a cumulative reward of ₹37.5 lakh, who were active in the Abhujmad forest region, surrendered before security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district on Friday, police said.
“The Maoists who surrendered were active in the Kutul, Nelnar, and Indravati area committees of CPI (Maoists) Maad division,” Narayanpur superintendent of police (SP) Robinson Guria said.
The Maoists surrendered before senior officers of the police, Border Security Force (BSF), and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). “The Maoists cited disillusionment with the Maoist ideology and increasing internal rifts within the organisation as key reasons for giving up arms,” the SP said.
Among those who surrendered, Manku Kunjam (33), a divisional committee member, carried a reward of ₹8 lakh, while three area committee members – Hidme Kunjam (28), Punna Lal alias Boti (26), and Saniram Korram (25) – had a bounty of ₹5 lakh each. “Eleven cadres had ₹1 lakh each on their heads, while seven others were wanted with a reward of ₹50,000 each,” the SP added.
The SP said that the surrender was a “severe blow to senior Maoist leadership in the region and brought the dream of a Maoist-free state closer to reality.”
Each Maoist who surrendered received ₹50,000 as immediate assistance and will be rehabilitated under the state government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy.
With this, the total number of Maoists who have surrendered in Narayanpur this year has reached 132, the SP said.
So far, 1,476 Maoists have surrendered since the BJP government assumed office in December 2023.
