nA 22-year-old Naxalite carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head has surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district, police said on Tuesday.
Kosa Markam turned himself in before Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava on Monday, citing disappointment with the Maoist ideology, the police said.
Markam joined the outlawed outfit in 2014 as a member of its Bal Sangham, its children's wing, in Dantewada. He was later shifted to the north Bastar division of Maoists, Pallava said.
He was currently active as a member of Military Company no.5 of the Maoists, the officer said.
Markam recently arrived at his home in Tetam village to meet his family members during which they informed him about the 'Lon Varratu' campaign of the local police and persuaded him to quit the banned outfit, he said.
Markam was allegedly involved in several deadly attacks on security forces, including the 2018 Irpanar encounter in Narayanpur district where four police personnel were killed, Pallava added.
He was also involved in the Maoist ambush in Partapur area of Kanker district last year in which four BSF personnel lost their lives, the official said, adding that he carried a reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head.
Markam was given an immediate assistance of Rs 10,000 and will be provided facilities as per the government's surrender and rehabilitation policy, he said.
