Under the ongoing 'Lon Varratu' campaign, a Maoist commander wanted for several attacks and carrying a bounty of Rs 1 lakh on his head on Thursday surrendered before the Dantewada police in Chhattisgarh.
Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava told The Pioneer over telephone that Kosa Kawasi (21), an active "Jan Militia Commander" under the Katekalyan Area Committee of Maoists, turned himself in before the police.
He cited disappointment with the Maoist ideology and exploitation of lower-ranking cadres by senior Naxalite leaders as the main reasons for his surrender, the officer said.
Kawasi had planted an IED at Aetepal village targeting the police personnel but only a cow was killed in 2018. He was involved in a bomb attack on police in Kotripal village which injured a police jawan in 2019, he was involved in a claymore mine blast in Tumkapal village during the 2019 Assembly by-elections and he was also involved in the murder of villager in 2020 who was dubbed a police informer, Pallava said.
He had expertise in codex wiring and he was engaged in the supply of detonators and in recovery of money from villagers for Naxalites, he added.
The surrendered Naxalite has been given Rs 10,000 as "encouragement money" and further assistance will be provided to him under the government's surrender and rehabilitation policy, the official said.
As many as 29 Maoists, carrying cash rewards on their heads, and 108 other Naxalies have laid down arms before the police in response to the ongoing Lon Varratu campaign in the last three months in Dantewada district, Pallava added.