Eight Naxalites carrying collective bounty of Rs 30 lakh surrender in Chhattisgarh

Eight Naxalites, including two women, carrying cumulative rewards of Rs 30 lakh on their heads, surrendered before the security forces in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district on Wednesday, police said.

The Naxalites turned themselves in, citing "inhuman and hollow" Maoist ideology. They said they were also impressed by the police's rehabilitation drive and the state government's new surrender and rehabilitation policy, he added.

The members of the banned Maoist organisation have been identified as Sukhlal Jurri, Hurra, alias Himanshu Midiyam, Raju Podiyam, alias Sunil Podiyam, Maniram Korram, Sukku Farsa, alias Nagesh, Ramu Ram Poyam, Kamla Gota and Deepa Punem.

Sukhlal was active as a Divisional Committee Member as well as a "Maoist doctor", while Hurra belonged to "Company Number 1 PPCM", the official said. Both carried a reward of Rs 8 lakh each, he said.

Podiyam was an Area Committee Member (ACM) and deputy commander of the Local Organisation Squad. Sukku was a member of Company Number 1, while Poyam worked for the Bureau Supply team, he added.

Of the two women, Kamla was an ACM and Deepa was a party member of the Maoist outfit, he said.

Podiyam and Kamla carried a bounty of Rs 5 lakh each. The other four Naxalites carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh each, the official said.

All the surrendered Naxalites were provided assistance of Rs 50,000 each and would be further rehabilitated as per the state government's policy, he said.

So far, 148 Naxalites have laid down arms in Narayanpur district this year, the official added.

The Centre has set the target of making the country free from Naxalism by March 2026.