Woman Naxalite with Rs 5 lakh bounty, 4 other cadres surrender in Chhattisgarh

Bijapur: Five Naxalites, including a woman carrying a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh and wanted for attacks on police, have surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, a senior official said on Wednesday.

They turned themselves in before senior police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officials here on Tuesday citing they were disappointed with the atrocities committed by senior cadres and the "inhuman and hollow" Maoist ideology, the official said.

They cadres were also impressed by the 'Niyad Nellanar' (your good village) scheme of the state government, aimed at facilitating development works in remote villages, he said.

Out of the five who surrendered, Sushila alias Bujji was active as Aheri area committee member under Gadchiroli division of Maoists and was carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh on her head, the official said.

She was allegedly involved in at least seven incidents of firing on police teams between 2018 and 2023 in the Gadchiroli area on the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh inter-state border, he said.

All the Naxalites who surrendered were provided assistance of Rs 25,000 each and will be further rehabilitated as per the government's policy, he added.

With this, 185 Naxalites have so far quit violence in the district so far this year, according to police.

Besides, 411 Naxalites have been arrested in the district during the same period, they said.