9 Naxals surrender in Chhattisgarh

Raipur, March 15: Nine Naxals on Tuesday, March 15 surrendered in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Bastar region, police said.

Seven rebels turned themselves in at the office of Central Reserve Police Force's 226th battalion in Sabrinagar area of Sukma district, additional superintendent of police Santosh Singh said. Dudhi Hidma (23), Dudhi Ware (19), Kunjami Sanna (28) and Suresh Mandavi (19) were active as jan-militia' members of the outlawed CPI (Maoist), while Hirma Kawasi (31), Ishwar Mandavi (27) and Muchaki Budhra (35) were active in its front unit Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisan Majdoor Sangthan, Singh said.

They participated in Naxal activities such as damaging roads, school buildings and mobiles towers, putting up Maoists posters, banners and dropping pamphlets.

In their statements after surrender, all of them expressed disappointment with the Naxal ideology and violence, the ASP said. A consolation amount of Rs 10,000 was given to each of them. Two Naxals also surrendered in Kanker district.

Umesh Vedada (32) and Pradeep Sori (25) surrendered before the officials of Border Security Force's 122nd battalion and local police. Umesh, who headed the public relations wing of Partapur Area Committee in north Bastar division of Maoists, carried a reward of Rs 5,000 on his head, a senior police official said.

PTI