Twelve Naxalites, nine of whom had a collective bounty of ₹18 lakh, have surrendered to authorities in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district, a senior police official confirmed on Wednesday.
The cadres, including five women, turned themselves in before senior police and Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) officials. According to Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Robinson Guria, their reasons for surrendering included disappointment with what they called the "hollow" Maoist ideology, the atrocities committed against innocent tribals, and growing internal differences within the banned organisation.
Among the surrendered, two area committee members, Sudren Netam and Dhoba Salam, each carried a reward of ₹5 lakh. Two other cadres had a bounty of ₹2 lakh each, while three others had ₹1 lakh on their heads. Two more had a reward of ₹50,000 each.
During questioning, the Naxalites told police that top Maoist leaders were the "real enemies of tribals." They claimed that leaders mislead locals with false promises of protecting water, forests, and land, along with pledges of equality and justice, only to exploit and enslave them. "According to them, the local cadres face severe exploitation, and the condition of women Maoists is even worse," the SP said, adding that many leaders treat them as personal slaves under the false pretext of promising them a better future in cities or even abroad.
All the surrendered Naxalites have been provided with an assistance package of ₹50,000 each and will be rehabilitated as per the government's policy. With this latest group, a total of 177 cadres have surrendered in the district so far this year, according to police data.
Also read: 2 Naxalites killed in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur
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