Naxal carrying Rs 5 lakh reward surrenders

A hardcore Naxal, carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head, surrendered before State Intelligence Branch (SIB) here today, police said.

Satter alias Bharat Gawde, who was active as LOS (Local Operation Squad) member of Maoists and was involved in several violent incidents, was attracted by the State government's surrender and rehabilitation policy, an official said.

"Gawde said he was impressed with the surrender policy formulated by the government and hence decided to join the mainstream," Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), SIB, Sundarraj P told reporters this evening.

He was carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head, the SSP said.
 

Earlier Gawde worked as the "commander" of platoon No 23 of Naxals and was currently associated with the outlawed movement as a LOS member under Rowghat area committee of North Bastar division of Maoists, police said.

The 32-year-old, a resident of Alanar village in Amabeda police station of Kanker district, joined the Naxal movement in 2003 after serving as a member of 'Bal Sangham', the children's unit of Maoists in Chhattisgarh.

He was involved in several Maoist incidents, including attack on a CISF vehicle in 2008 at Mahamaya mines area of Balod district in which three security personnel were killed, the police officer said.

Besides, the rebel was wanted in connection with the killing of two persons - in Narayanpur and Kankerdistricts - after a 'jan adalat' (kangaroo court) held by Maoists in summer this year.

In his statement, Gawde revealed he had fallen in love with Aruna, a Naxal, but was not permitted by his seniors to get married. Later, the two eloped and got married at Panidobir village.

However, Naxals somehow traced Gawde and took him away, Sundarraj said.

Aruna surrendered before Narayanpur police on April 10, 2016 and recently Gawde, too, left the movement, the police officer said.

Necessary assistance will be provided to the surrendered Naxal, he added.

Housing, compensation for the surrendered weapons and possible withdrawal of criminal cases are some of the components of the policy for the rebels who want to join the mainstream.