A day after Bhupathi in Maha, 78 Maoists, including senior members, surrender in CG

Raipur: A day after Bhupathi, the most senior politburo member in Maharashtra's Maoist hierarchy, surrendered along with 61 other PLGA fighters in Gadchiroli, as many as 78 Maoists , including 42 women, many of them with weapons, surrendered at separate places in Chhattisgarh 's Bastar division on Wednesday.

Of the 78 cadres , 50, including 32 women, turned themselves in at a security camp in Kanker, while 27 of them carrying Rs 50 lakh bounty surrendered in Sukma and one woman cadre lay down arms in Kondagaon district.

Amid strong anticipation that senior rank holders in the CPI (Maoists) movement were preparing to surrender in Bastar, as per their recent statements on "shunning violence and armed struggle," Maoists approached security forces and villagers proposing mass surrenders, officials said. Following this, Maoists of north Bastar division and Marh division have given up arms in Gadchiroli, Kanker, Sukma and Kondagaon districts.

A top police official told TOI that the formal display of surrendered cadres and weapons will be done on Thursday or Friday as documentation, verification, identification and records are being done.

The official said the 50 Maoists who surrendred in Kanker, including their senior commanders Rajman Mandavi and Raju Salam — both Dandakaranya special zonal committee members — approached BSF's 40th battalion Kamtera camp in Koyelibeda of Kanker, which adjoins Maharashtra's Gadchiroli.

They presented 39 weapons including seven AK-47 rifles, two self-loading rifles, and four INSAS rifles, an INSAS LMG (light machine gun), and a sten gun, the officer said. Police officials said more surrenders are expected in Bastar, including some big names.

In Sukma, 27 Maoists who carried a Rs 50 lakh bounty, gave up violence before police and CRPF on Wednesday. Among them, the one with the highest bounty of Rs 10 lakh, identified as Oyam Lakhmu (53), is a member of the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) battalion number 1— the strongest military formation of Maoists.

Other three who carried Rs 8 lakh bounty were Madvi Bhima (18), a party member in a military platoon unit of PLGA battalion number 1, Sunita alias Kawasi Somdi (24), and Sodi Mase (22), members of regional military company number 2, said Sukma SP Kiran Chavan. The others carried separate rewards of Rs Rs 3 lakh, Rs 2 lakh each, Rs 1 lakh each, SP said.

In Kondagaon district, a top woman commander Geeta alias Kamli Salam (40), carrying Rs 5 lakh reward surrendered. She was active as tailor team commander in the East Bastar division.