Villagers once linked with Maoists surrender weapons

A group of villagers, earlier associated with the outlawed CPI (Maoist), surrendered seven firearms to police in Chhattisgarhs Narayanpur district Monday, an official said.

These villagers, hailing from Ehnar in the Abhujmad region of Narayanpur district, were once active as 'jan militia' (lower-rung) members or supporters of the CPI (Maoist), but have now no link with the outfit spearheading the armed naxal movement, he said.

The villagers voluntarily surrendered seven muzzle loading guns at the newly set up Sonpur police camp in the district, about 350km from state capital Raipur, Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Shukla told PTI over the phone.

Of the villagers, three were active as jan militia cadres in the past, while others were supporters of Maoists, he said.

On October 10, a police camp was established in Sonpur village on persistent demand of the local residents who said they were frustrated with the anti-development policies of naxals, the officer said.

A police base was also important in the area from a strategic point of view as it would help security forces to swiftly carry out anti-naxal operations in eastern part of Abhujmad, considered a Maoist citadel, Shukla said.

The villagers said from now onwards they would not allow any kind of support to Naxalites from their area and contribute in the region's development, Shukla said and termed the move as significant.