Wanted naxalite surrenders

A 22-year-old Naxal allegedly
involved in the 2007 Ranibodli police outpost attack, in which over 55 police personnel were killed, today surrendered before the intelligence wing of Chhattisgarh police.
Kartam Shankar alias Lacchu, who was carrying a reward of Rs eight lakh on his head, turned himself in at Special Intelligence Branch (SIB) headquarters here, citing disappointment with harsh forest life. He expressed his willingness to lead a normal life, Senior Superintendent of Police (SIB) Sundarraj P said.
He was an active member of NIB (National Park-Indravati-Bhamragarh) company of Maoists in 2007. During that period, he was part of the naxal squad that stormed inside Randibodli police camp (Bijapur district) killing 55 security personnel on the intervening night of March 14 and 15, he said.

According to his statement, he had sustained bullet injuries on his leg in that incident, while six Maoists were killed, the SSP said.
Later, the rebel was shifted to Buri militia platoon of Maoists as a member, with which he kept working so far.

"Hailing from Tekla village under Kutru police station (Bijapur), Lachhu was forcibly inducted into the outlawed CPI (Maoist) as 'Bal Sangham' member in 2005 after his mother was died. His younger brother, Ramesh, was also taken away by Maoists," he said.
He was disappointed with the hard life in the jungle areas and was impressed with the normal lives being led by surrendered cadres which prompted him to join the mainstream, the SSP said.

"Lachhu was also involved in the attack on Murkinar camp in Bijapur, wherein 11 police personnel were killed and 7 were injured in 2006," the officer said.
The surrendered cadre will be provided assistance according to the rehabilitation policy instituted by the government, he added.