22 naxalites surrender in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur, weakening movement

At least 22 Naxalites, including four carrying a collective bounty of Rs 26 lakh, surrendered before security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Tuesday, police said.

This comes a day after 26 Naxalites quit the outlawed CPI (Maoist) in the neighbouring Dantewada district.

The cadres, including six women, turned themselves in before senior officials from the police and Central Reserve Police Forces (CRPF), citing disappointment with the "hollow" and "inhuman" Maoist ideology and growing differences within the outfit, Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Yadav said.

Yadav said they were also impressed by the state government's 'Niyad Nellanar' (your good village) scheme, aimed at facilitating development works in remote villages around security camps.

He said the development works in interior pockets and villages getting access to basic amenities were also key reasons for the surrender.

Of the surrendered cadres, Kamli Hemla (32), a member of PLGA (People's Liberation Guerilla Army) battalion no. 1 of Maoists, and Muya Madvi (19), a party member in a company under the Telangana state committee, carried a reward of Rs 8 lakh each, the official said.

He said Sonu Tati (28), a press team commander in the west Bastar division of Maoists, and Mahesh Punem, a PLGA member in the Bhairamgarh area committee, carried a bounty of Rs 5 lakh each.

The SP said 179 Naxalites have quit violence in the district so far this year.

Besides, 83 Baxalites have been killed and 172 arrested in separate incidents in the district during this period, he said.

The surrendered Naxalites were provided assistance of Rs 50,000 each and will be further rehabilitated as per the government's policy, he said.

In 2024, at least 792 Naxalites had surrendered in the Bastar region, comprising seven districts, including Bijapur and Dantewada, police said.