As many as 61 Naxals, including seven women, most of them lower rung members, today surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district citing "disappointment" with the ideology of the outlawed CPI (Maoist).
"The rebels turned themselves in before senior police and administrative officials at Jagdalpur district headquarters," Bastar Superintendent of Police R N Dash told PTI.
Of them, Phulo Madkami, who was carrying a reward of Rs 3 lakh on her head, was active as regional committee supply member ofthe Maoists and a prominent cadre in the region, the SP said.
Another cadre, Jibo Kawadi, was carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head, while the rest belonged to different lower rank squads of the banned outfit including Janmilitia, Sangham and Chetna Natya Manch - a cultural wing of the ultras, Dash said.
In their statements, they all expressed disappointment with the ideology of the outlawed Naxals and violence. Besides, they were also impressed with the provisions of surrender and rehabilitation policy of the state government which encouraged them to join the mainstream, the SP said.
Police claimed that with this surrender, Katekalyan Area Committee of Darbha Divisionofthe Maoists, which has allegedly been instrumental in executing several deadly attacks in south Bastar, has collapsed.
At least 34 of the surrendered rebels belongs to Mudenar village which comes under Katekalyan area committee of the ultras. With the surrender, it appears that this area committe has completely vanished, the officer said.
They all will be provided with facilities as per the surrender and rehabilitation policy, he said, adding 247 Naxals and their supporters have surrendered in Bastar district in the past three months.
