In yet another breakthrough against Naxalism, couple carrying Rs 20-lakh bounty surrenders in Chhattisgarh

The couple said they were motivated by the state government’s new surrender and rehabilitation policy and decided to abandon armed struggle. Representational Pic

A Naxalite couple with a combined bounty of Rs 20 lakh surrendered to police in Chhattisgarh's Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai (KCG) district on Wednesday, news agency PTI reported, quoting officers.

The duo, 25-year-old Dhanush alias Munna and his wife Roni alias Tule, had been active in the Maad Division of Bastar and the Tanda-Malanjkhand Area Committee under the Madhya Pradesh-Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh (MMC) Zone of the banned CPI (Maoist), the officer added.

The couple said they were motivated by the state government's new surrender and rehabilitation policy and decided to abandon armed struggle, PTI reported.

KCG District, bordering Madhya Pradesh, is located 90 km from Raipur, the Chhattisgarh capital. Dhanush carried a reward of Rs 14 lakh, while Roni had a bounty of Rs 6 lakh.

Roni was associated with the MMC Zone in-charge Ramder, a Central Committee member, while Dhanush, an Area Committee Member (ACM), handled technical and typing work for the Maoists, owing to his proficiency in Hindi-English typing and computer operations, PTI reported.

Officers said the couple had participated in multiple Naxalite activities across the border areas of Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh.

Chhattisgarh: 28 Naxals, including DVC leader surrender before police in Narayanpur

Twenty-eight active Naxalites, including 19 women cadres, surrendered before the police in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur District last week.

Among them was Dinesh Pandey, a Naxal leader and divisional committee member (DVC) of the CPI (Maoist) Kutul Area Committee, who also chose to abandon the movement and return to the mainstream, ANI reported.

The group carried a combined reward of Rs 89 lakh.

During the surrender, they handed over six weapons, including an SLR, an INSAS rifle, a .303 rifle, and three 12-bore guns, ANI reported.

IG Bastar P Sundarraj said that the surrendered Naxalites include Abhujmad Division members, members of People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PGLA), and a military platoon of the Maoist party.

"28 Maoists have surrendered to become a part of the mainstream. We will begin the work for their rehabilitation. The surrendered Naxalites include Abhujmad Division members, military members of People's Liberation Guerrilla Army, technical team, and military platoon. The only choice they have his to quit violence and be part of the mainstream," Bastar IG told ANI.

Narayanpur District Collector Pratishtha Mamgain, who was also present at the surrender ceremony, said that a total of 67 villages are a part of the Niyad Nellanar Yojana, where the administration is working to provide government schemes and basic amenities.

(With ANI and PTI inputs)