Twelve Maoists including two women, surrendered here before the police in the insurgency-hit Bastar district, police said on Monday.
“The surrendering ultras are mostly from the lower ranks of banned CPI (Maoist) and worked in the East Bastar division of the banned outfit,” Superintendent of Police (SP) Bastar RN Dash said.
According to Dash, the insurgents were deeply dissatisfied with the double standard adopted by Maoists and the increased police presence in the region also forced them to surrender. Two key Maoist leaders of Bastarnar region, Chalki and Baldev Gawde were also among the insurgents who surrendered. Chalki was the Head of Barsoor Janatana Sarkar squad while Baldev was Janmilitia Commander in Bastanar region, the SP said.
Moti alias Mamta a member of the cultural wing of the Maoists-Chetna Natya Manch (CNM) active in Bastanar also surrendered, he added.
The remaining ultras were members of different lower rank squads of the banned outfit, like Jan Militia, CNM and Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisan Majdoor Sangthan (DAKMS).
They all were active in Barsoor Area Committee under East Bastar Division of Maoists and were involved in incidents like damaging roads and railway tracks, collecting information and inputs related to security forces and beating up villagers, he said.
In their statement, they have expressed disappointment with the empty ideology of the outlawed Naxal movement and violence. Moreover, they were also impressed with the provisions of surrender and rehabilitation policy of the Chhattisgarh government which compelled them to join the mainstream, the SP said.
Financial assistance of Rs10,000 was given to each of the surrendered persons while they will be further ensured facilities as per the surrender policy, he added.