Chhattisgarh: 12 Maoists, including 9 carrying Rs 28.50L bounty surrender; total crosses 1,000 under 'Lon Varratu' rehabilitation drive
NEW DELHI: Twelve Maoists, including nine with bounties totaling Rs 28.50 lakh, surrendered to authorities in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone in the 'Lon Varratu' (term in Gondi dialect meaning 'return to your home/village) campaign as the total surrenders crossed 1,000 since its launch in June 2020.
The latest group of surrendered cadres included two women who turned themselves in to senior police and CRPF officials, citing disillusionment with the Maoist ideology and harsh forest life.
"The number of Maoists, who surrendered under the Lon Varratu campaign of the Dantewada police, has crossed the 1,000-mark and this achievement reflects the far-sighted policies of the government, the continuous action of the security forces and the trust of the local communities," said Dantewada Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai to news agency PTI.
"It is a symbol of the commitment of the government and administration to bring back the youth, who have strayed due to the hollow ideology of Maoists, to the mainstream," he added.
Among the surrendered militants, Chandranna alias Bursu Punem, 52, and Amit alias Hinga Barsa, 26, each carried Rs 8 lakh bounties. Both were divisional committee members involved in multiple attacks on security forces.
Two other significant surrenders included Aruna Lekam, 25, an area committee member with a Rs 5 lakh bounty, and Deva Kawasi, 22, a section commander with a Rs 3 lakh reward.
The remaining cadres carried varying bounties - one with Rs 2 lakh, a woman cadre with Rs 1 lakh, and three others with Rs 50,000 each.
"The 12 cadres, including two women, turned themselves in before senior police officials as well as those belonging to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) citing disappointment with growing differences within outlawed outfit, harsh forest life and hollow Maoist ideology," Rai added.
The surrendered individuals were also influenced by the rehabilitation drive 'Lon Varratu' and the state government's new surrender and rehabilitation policy.
The successful campaign has now seen a total of 1,005 Maoists surrender, including 249 with bounties on their heads.
The surrendered cadres under the Lon Varratu drive came from various districts including Sukma, Bijapur, and Narayanpur, apart from Dantewada.
Police records show that in 2024, a total of 792 Maoists had surrendered across the seven districts of the Bastar region, including Dantewada.
The latest group of surrendered cadres included two women who turned themselves in to senior police and CRPF officials, citing disillusionment with the Maoist ideology and harsh forest life.
"The number of Maoists, who surrendered under the Lon Varratu campaign of the Dantewada police, has crossed the 1,000-mark and this achievement reflects the far-sighted policies of the government, the continuous action of the security forces and the trust of the local communities," said Dantewada Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai to news agency PTI.
"It is a symbol of the commitment of the government and administration to bring back the youth, who have strayed due to the hollow ideology of Maoists, to the mainstream," he added.
Among the surrendered militants, Chandranna alias Bursu Punem, 52, and Amit alias Hinga Barsa, 26, each carried Rs 8 lakh bounties. Both were divisional committee members involved in multiple attacks on security forces.
Two other significant surrenders included Aruna Lekam, 25, an area committee member with a Rs 5 lakh bounty, and Deva Kawasi, 22, a section commander with a Rs 3 lakh reward.
The remaining cadres carried varying bounties - one with Rs 2 lakh, a woman cadre with Rs 1 lakh, and three others with Rs 50,000 each.
"The 12 cadres, including two women, turned themselves in before senior police officials as well as those belonging to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) citing disappointment with growing differences within outlawed outfit, harsh forest life and hollow Maoist ideology," Rai added.
The surrendered individuals were also influenced by the rehabilitation drive 'Lon Varratu' and the state government's new surrender and rehabilitation policy.
The successful campaign has now seen a total of 1,005 Maoists surrender, including 249 with bounties on their heads.
The surrendered cadres under the Lon Varratu drive came from various districts including Sukma, Bijapur, and Narayanpur, apart from Dantewada.
Police records show that in 2024, a total of 792 Maoists had surrendered across the seven districts of the Bastar region, including Dantewada.
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