Naxalism near its end, says Maha CM as 11 Maoists surrender in Gadchiroli

A total of 11 Naxalites, including senior cadre Vimla Chandra Sidam alias Tarakka, surrendered on Wednesday before Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Gadchiroli.

These Maoists, carrying a collective bounty of Rs 1.03 crore, were involved in launching attacks on security personnel.

Most prominent among the surrendered Maoists is Dandkaranya Zonal Committee Member Vimla Chandra Sidam alias Tarakka who had been involved in the Naxalism movement for the last 38 years.

Fadnavis also felicitated C-60 commandos and officers for bravery in anti-Naxal operations.

He said Maharashtra will soon become free of Naxal menace given the rise in the number of Maoists laying down their arms and the movement failing to attract recruits.

"Gadchiroli Police almost eradicated Naxal activities in Gadchiroli district. North Gadchiroli is now free of Maoist activities, and south Gadchiroli will soon become free from Naxals," he said.

The chief minister also said that many dreaded Naxals were either neutralised or arrested in the past years.

He said Maoist cadres are disassociated themselves from the movement as they have realised its hollow ideology.

"They are convinced that they will get justice only through the Constitutional institutions," the chief minister said, adding that Maoism is on the wane as India is taking giant strides in development.

Earlier in the day, Fadnavis told reporters that the dominance of Naxalites in remote areas of Gadchiroli district was waning and that the Naxalism is nearing its end.

The government has started the process to make Gadchrioli the "first district" by eliminating the dominance of Maoists, he said.

Gadchiroli is often referred to as the last district of Maharashtra as it is on the state's eastern border.

Fadnavis inaugurated the 32-km-long Gatta-Gardewada-Wangeturi road and bus services of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) on the Wangeturi-Gardewada-Gatta-Aheri route in the district during his visit.

Gadchiroli is not the last, but "first district" for the government (on the priority list), the chief minister said.

The road link inaugurated today will connect Maharashtra directly to Chhattisgarh, he said.

Besides, the part dominated by Naxalites is being liberated with people getting the MSRTC bus services after 75 years of Independence, he said.

Fadnavis hailed the Gadchiroli police for their work against Naxalism.

He said people no more support Naxalites and not a single person is now willing to join the outlawed movement which is "very significant".

The chief minister conducted an aerial review of the Gatta-Gardewada-Todgatta-Wangeturi road and the Tadguda bridge.

"The state government has been trying to transform Gadchiroli over the last ten years to bring the common man into the mainstream and uproot Naxalism from this district," Fadnavis told a gathering after inaugurating various departments of Lloyds Metals And Energy Ltd at Konsari.

He said Maoists have failed to recruit even a single cadre in Gadchiroli in the last four years thanks to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the combined efforts of Gadchiroli Police and the local administration.

The chief minister said 20,000 employment opportunities will be generated in Gadchiroli district in mining-related ventures.

An airport will come up in Gadchiroli in the near future and waterways connecting Gadchiroli ports will also be surveyed, he added.