Sixteen Naxalites, two of them carrying cash rewards on their heads, surrendered to the police and CRPF in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district on Saturday, an official said.
The lower rung cadres who were active in Bacheli and Kirandul areas and surrendered in Kirandul town citing they were impressed by the rehabilitation of their former colleagues, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava said.
With this, 288 Naxalites have so far given up violence in the district under the 'Lon Varratu' (Return to your home) campaign, launched in June last year, Pallava said.
On Saturday, the surrendered cadres took out a ‘Tiranga’ (tricolour) rally along with police and planted saplings.
Of the 16, Madkam Hurra (28), a Maoist militia commander, and Hunga Barsa (35), head of the local unit of the Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisan Majdoor Sangthan, carried rewards of Rs 1 lakh each on their heads, Pallava said.
Fourteen among the surrendered belonged to Madkamiras village. All the 16 were given immediate assistance of Rs 10,000 and will get facilities further as per the government's surrender and rehabilitation policy, the officer said.
