As many as 70 Naxals, including 15 women, surrenderedin Sukma district in tribal-dominated Bastar region of Chhattisgarh today, police said.
According to police, the Naxals who are mostly lower-rung cadres gave up their arms citing disappointment with the ideology of banned Maoist movement and violence.
"This is a yet another big achievement for Bastar police, who has consistently succeeded in persuading the cadres to join the mainstream," Inspector General of Police Bastar Range, SRP Kalluri told PTI.
Seventy rebels, including 15 women, surrendered before senior police and CRPF officials at Jagargunda police station in Chintalnar area, a Naxal hotbed, the IG said.
"Some of the surrendered rebels were carrying rewards on their heads and involved in several incidents of crime, including loot, arson, attacks on the police party in the region," Kalluri said.
They are natives of Morpalli, Lakhapal, Murkam, Chintalnar, Tadmetla and nearby villages in Chhattisgarh, he said, adding, "Two muzzle-loading guns, a pipe bomb, an IED and other Naxal-related material were also surrendered by the cadres."
According to Kalluri, Chintalnar Additional Superintendent of Police Irfan Khan has been carrying out a public awareness campaign "Jan Jagran Karyakram" to attract the rebels towards mainstream, which has started yielding results.
A cash of Rs 10,000 was given to each of the surrendered rebels as an encouragement money.
As per the Chhattisgarh Government policy, necessary assistance will be provided tothem, he added.
(REOPENS MDS 10)
A report from Udhagamandalam in neighbouring Tamil Nadu said checkposts in the hilly Nilgiris district, bordering Kerala and Karnataka, have been put on alert to prevent possible Maoist infiltration from the Nilambur area.
Police said six checkposts bordering Kerala and one on the Karnataka border have been strengthened and police personnel at the nearby stations asked to be prepared to tackle any eventuality.
Checking of vehicles, particularly those coming from Kerala, have been intensified to prevent the possibility of the extremists fleeing to Karnataka, they said.
