Chhattisgarh: At least sixty-two hardcore Naxals surrender before security forces

On Tuesday, as many as sixty-two hardcore Naxals gave up their arms and surrendered before security forces in the poll-bound state Chhattisgarh.

According to the official statement by the local police, 51 Naxals have surrendered with their country-made weapons while 11 others have submitted themselves to the law without arms. “At least five of the Naxals who surrendered today had standing warrants against them,” the statement said.

The police further said that all 62 Naxals had been active members of the Tumeradi Jantana Sarkar for the past eight to nine years. It is to be noted that Tumeradi Jantana Sarkar is classified as violent among the Naxal ranks by the law enforcement.

“During the interrogation, the surrendered Naxals revealed that the extremists nexus has weakened over the years due to consistent police search operations and growing pressure due to arrests of senior active Naxal leaders,” the police added.

“The Naxals surrendered due to effective promotion of the Chhattisgarh Government’s rehabilitation plan for the ultras,” claimed the police, adding that more may be willing to do so as the network has been weaken from within. “More and more want to give up arms and grab a chance to surrender and return to their villages,” it added.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that the success of the government’s surrender policy was pushing Naxal cadres to shun the path of violence. “Happy to know that a large number of Left Wing Extremists have surrendered before the Police by giving up their arms in Chhattisgarh. I congratulate the State Chief Minister @drramansingh the DGP and the police force for this huge achievement,” he said in a series of the tweet.

Happy to know that a large number of Left Wing Extremists have surrendered before the Police by giving up their arms in Chhattisgarh. I congratulate the State Chief Minister @drramansingh the DGP and the police force for this huge achievement. 1/3

— राजनाथ सिंह (@rajnathsingh) November 6, 2018

He further said, “These surrenders clearly indicate that the Chhattisgarh Govt. is effectively pursuing a surrender and rehabilitation policy for LWE operatives. This policy is yielding positive results and helping in positively changing the security environment of Chhattisgarh in a big way.”

These surrenders clearly indicate that the Chhattisgarh Govt. is effectively pursuing a surrender and rehabilitation policy for LWE operatives. This policy is yielding positive results and helping in positively changing the security environment of Chhattisgarh in a big way. 2/3

— राजनाथ सिंह (@rajnathsingh) November 6, 2018

“The success of government’s surrender policy is pushing the LWE cadre to shun the path of violence. I hope that the other LWE operatives will also abjure violence and join the mainstream,” the Home Minister concluded.

The success of government’s surrender policy is pushing the LWE cadre to shun the path of violence. I hope that the other LWE operatives will also abjure violence and join the mainstream. 3/3

— राजनाथ सिंह (@rajnathsingh) November 6, 2018

Polling for the 90-seat Chhattisgarh Assembly is scheduled to be held in two phases – on November 12 for 18 seats and on November 20 for 72 constituencies. Most of the constituencies in the first phase fall in the state’s Bastar region.

Also Read: Odisha: Five Naxals killed in Malkangiri’s Kalimeda