16 Naxalites surrender in Chhattisgarh, Kerlapenda becomes Maoist-free

Sixteen Naxalites, including six carrying a collective cash reward of ₹25 lakh, surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Monday, police said.

Of them, nine cadres belonged to Kerlapenda village panchayat under Chintalanar police station limits.

With this surrender, the village has become Naxalite-free, making it eligible for development projects of ₹1 crore as per a new scheme of the state government, an official said.

All 16 cadres, including a woman, turned themselves in before senior police and CRPF officials, here citing disappointment with the "hollow" and "inhuman" Maoist ideology and atrocities by ultras on local tribals, Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan said.

The cadres were also impressed by the Chhattisgarh government's 'Niyad Nellanar' (your good village) scheme, aimed at facilitating development works in remote villages, and the state's new surrender and rehabilitation policy, he said. 

Among those who surrendered, Rita alias Dodi Sukki (36), a woman who was active as member of the central regional committee (CRC) company number 2 of Maoists, and Rahul Punem (18), a party member within PLGA battalion no. 1 of Maoists, carried a reward of Rs 8 lakh each, he said.

Besides, Lekam Lakhma (28) carried a bounty of ₹3 lakh, while three more cadres carried a reward of Rs 2 lakh each, the official said.

Out of the surrendered cadres, nine belonged to the Kerlapenda village panchayat.

With their surrender, the place has become Naxal-free, the official said.

As per the Elvad Panchayat Yojna of the state government, the village will be provided an incentive of Rs 1 crore for development works, he said.

The scheme has been introduced under the new Chhattisgarh Naxal Surrender/Victim Relief and Rehabilitation Policy-2025.

It provides for a sanction of development works of Rs 1 crore for those village panchayats which facilitate in the surrender of Naxalites active in their area and to pass a resolution declaring them as Maoist-free.

This is the second such village panchayat in the district to get rid of the Naxal menace after the state government recently introduced the scheme.

In April, Badesatti was declared Naxal-free after all 11 lower-rung Naxalites from there surrendered before police.

All the Naxalites who surrendered were provided an assistance of Rs 50,000 each, and will be further rehabilitated as per the government's policy, the SP said.

Last year, 792 Naxalites surrendered in the state's Bastar region, which comprises seven districts including Sukma.