Nine naxals surrender in Chhattisgarh

As many as nine Naxals surrendered in Chhattisgarh’s insurgency-hit Bijapur on Thursday in the midst of a bandh called by the left wing extremists to protest against the recent ‘encounter’ on the Andhra-Odisha border.

Fed-up with harsh forest life and hollow Maoist ideology, the ultras turned themselves in before Bijapur Superintendent of Police KL Dhruv, Bijapur Additional Superintendent of Police Mohit Garg said.

“The surrender came as a severe blow to the ultras on the day they observed protest and a major boost to the anti-Maoist operation by the security forces in the region,” he said.

Those surrendered were identified as Wacham Biju (20), Sitaram Bhaskar (26), Lalu (30), Ashok Wacham (20), Wacham Ramedra (18), Tikedvar Wacham (20), Mangal (19), Munna Oyami (25), Bomda Poya (25), he said.

Biju, who was active as deputy commander in the military platoon number 13 under Bhairamgarh area committee of Maoists was involved in several deadly naxal attacks, including killing of three police jawans in Jappemarka in 2015, the ASP said.

The equally dreaded Bhaskar, an LOS (local organisation squad) member in Mirtur area, was also instrumental in carrying out attacks on police party, he said.

While Biju was carrying a reward of Rs three lakh on his head, Rs one lakh was announced for the arrest of Bhaskar, he added.