Nine Naxalites, including four with a total reward of Rs 16 lakh on their head, surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur and Dantewada districts of Bastar division, police said on Saturday. One of them is a tuberculosis patient and has been admitted in a hospital.
Two Maoists surrendered in Bijapur and seven in Dantewada.
Makdam Deva, 36, who surrendered in Bijapur, was an active member of the Jagargunda-Basaguda Area Committee. He joined the outfit in 1995 and carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj. P said.
"Deva was involved in several attacks on police teams, including the Basaguda attack wherein two security personnel were killed, as well as murder of civilians in the area," he added.
In his statement, Deva said he was disappointed as he was denied promotion in the Maoist outfit due to discrimination by senior leaders from other states against those who are from Chhattisgarh, the officer said.
Woman Naxalite Sumitra Chepa, who returned to her village after she was asked to leave a rebel camp on June 12 as she showed flu-like symptoms and the Maoists thought she had contracted coronavirus, also surrendered in Bijapur.
"Chepa was active as section commander of Maoists PLGA battalion number 1 and was involved in attacks in Sukma, including the 2014 Kasalpad attack in which 15 policemen were killed, and the Pidmel attack in 2015 wherein three policemen lost their lives. She carried a reward of Rs 8 lakh on her head," the officer said.
"Her corona report is negative, but she is suffering from tuberculosis and is being provided treatment at the Bijapur District Hospital," he added.
In Dantewada, seven Naxalites surrendered after being impressed by the 'Lon Varratu' (Return to Your Village) campaign launched by the local police, Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava said.
Among them, a woman cadre, Hadme Mandavi (20), a member of military platoon number 26, and Lakhma Mandavi (26), a Jan Militia commander, were carrying rewards of Rs 2 lakh and Rs 1 lakh on their heads respectively, he added.
The rest are lower rung members of the outlawed Maoist outfit.