Chhattisgarh: Five Naxalites, including PLGA member with Rs 8 lakh reward, surrender in Bijapur

Bijapur: Five Naxalites, including three with a cumulative reward of Rs 11 lakh on their heads, surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Friday, a police official said.

They laid down arms citing the hollow Maoist ideology and due to the impressive 'Niyad Nellanar' (your good village) scheme of the state government, Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Yadav said.

"Of the five, Santu Kodme is an active member of PLGA (People's Liberation Guerrilla Army) company number 2. He carried a reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head. Kodme was associated with the outlawed outfit since 2013 and was involved in the 2017 Minpa ambush (Sukma) in which 17 personnel lost their lives. He was also involved in the Nadpalli attack in 2020 which killed three jawans," the SP said.

"Payku Punem, a member of Gangaloor area committee party member, and Guddu Hapka, head of Padeda 'Janatana Sarkar' squad of Maoists, were carrying rewards of Rs 2 lakh and Rs 1 lakh, respectively. Punem was involved in three Maoists incidents, including the murder of four villagers in Pidia (Bijapur) in 2020," he added.

The other two, Somaru Madvi and Bhima Kashyap, had joined the outlawed outfit in 2023 and 2021, respectively, Yadav added.

All the surrendered Naxalites were provided assistance of Rs 25,000 each and will be further rehabilitated as per the government's policy, he said.

"With the surrender of these five ultras, 189 Naxalites have so far quit violence in the district this year. Another 473 Maoists have been arrested in the district during the same period," Yadav informed.  

With PTI Inputs