RAIPUR: In one of the largest recent mass surrenders in Bastar, 63 Maoists laid down their arms before police and CRPF officials in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district on Friday under the state government’s ‘Puna Margeim’ rehabilitation scheme.
Police said that 36 of those who surrendered carried cash rewards totalling Rs 1.2 crore. The surrender comes months ahead of the Centre’s March 31 deadline to eliminate left-wing extremism across the country.
Those who surrendered included divisional committee members, area committee members and militia platoon commanders from Dantewada, Sukma, Bijapur and Narayanpur districts. According to Dantewada SP Gaurav Rai, the cadres were active in the Darbha division, South Bastar, West Bastar, the Marh region and adjoining areas of Odisha.
Seven of the surrendered cadres carried a bounty of Rs 8 lakh each, while seven others had rewards of Rs 5 lakh each. Eight carried bounties of Rs 2 lakh, 11 had rewards of Rs 1 lakh and three had bounties of Rs 50,000 each, taking the total reward amount to Rs 1.2 crore.
