Chhattisgarh: Four Naxalites surrender in Bijapur

Four Naxalites, including three with a cumulative bounty of Rs 12 lakh on their heads, surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Friday, a police official said.

The official identified them as Madded area committee member Rakesh Mandvi alias Joga (33), Dula Punem (34) of the PLGA platoon 2 under National Park area committee, Bhopalpatnam LOS ''commander'' Somaru alias Kishore Karam (26) and militia platoon ''section commander'' of Gangaloor area committee Suresh Madvi alias Sukka (24).

''Rakesh and Somaru were carrying a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh each, while Dula had a reward of Rs 2 lakh against his name. As per the government's surrender and rehabilitation policy, financial assistance of Rs 10,000 has been provided to each of them,'' he said.

Rakesh was associated with the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) since 2005 and was allegedly involved in the murders of security personnel, firing on the camp of forces, IED blasts, encounters, looting of weapons, and arson between 2009 and 2022, the official said.

''Somaru, who joined the outlawed organization in 2006 as Bal Sangham, was allegedly involved in the murder of three security personnel, attack on Bhadrakali police station in 2010, and an encounter in which 11 personnel were martyred in 2011,'' he added.

Dula and Suresh were also involved in several incidents that took place in the district, he said.