3 Naxals held in Chhattisgarh

Raipur, Sep 21: Three Maoists, including a couple who were allegedly involved in 2010 Tadmetla incident in which 76 security personnel were killed, today surrendered before Chhattisgarh's Special Intelligence Branch (SIB) here.

"The naxals turned themselves in expressing their desire to lead a normal family life and at the same time cited disappointment with Maoist policy," Special Director General of Police (Anti-Naxal operations/ SIB) DM Awasthi told reporters here.

Of them, a section Commander of Naxal Military Battalion number 1, Jhitru alias Jittu (27) and his wife Sapka Pojje (23) who was also a member of the same military battalion, were key cadres of the outlawed CPI (M) in south Bastar, he said.

Jittu was allegedly involved in the tragic Tadmetla (now in Sukma district) ambush attack which Maoists had orchestrated in April 2010 in which 76 CRPF personnel were killed, the SDGP said. He was also the part of Naxal team that had ambushed a CRPF searching party at Kasalpada in Chintagufa area in December 2014 killing 14 paramilitary jawans.

Besides, he was also allegedly involved in an attack on the police party at Jagargunda area of Sukma that happened on August 29, 2008, in which 12 police personnel including the SHO of Jagargunda police station, had lost their lives, Awasthi said.

Similarly, Jittu's squad had also allegedly executed two attacks on the road opening parties (ROPs) in 2007 and 2008 in Bhattiguda and Tongguda police stations respectively in which 12 policemen each were killed, he informed. Likewise, Sapka was allegedly involved in Tadmetla incident and other Maoist attacks, he said, adding the duo carried a cash reward of Rs 8 lakh each on their heads.

A native of Bijapur district, Jittu had joined Naxal organisation in 2005 while he was a student of class 8th in a tribal ashram school. He had worked as a bodyguard of prominent Naxal leaders Ramanna, a Central Committee Member of Maoists, and Hidma, a Special Zonal Committee Member. The couple was disappointed with Naxal dictate and in search of better lives and future turned in, the SDGP said.

The woman Naxal, Shyam Bati alias Laxmi (28), who was active as Sitanadi Area Committee member, was another among surrendered. Laxmi's husband, who was also a Maoist cadre, had recently surrendered before SIB. They all will be ensured facilities under Surrender and Rehabilitation policy of the state government, the SDGP added.

PTI