A top CPI (Maoist) leader and Special Area Committee (SAC) member of Bihar-Jharkhand-North Chhattisgarh Special Area Committee (BJNCSAC) Balkeshwar Uraon aka Vinay Uraon aka Bada Vikas surrendered in front of State DGP DK Pandey on Thursday to join mainstream of society.
The development is being seen as one of the deadliest blows to the organisation in recent days and a huge success for police under Operation Nayi Disha, which has been running since 2010 to encourage Maoists to drop their gun.
Among top 3 leaders in the organisational hierarchy, Bada Vikas is a resident of Doki village under Manika police station of latehar district. He was wanted in three States with more than 75 cases registered against him altogether and a Rs25 lakh bounty on his head in Jharkhand alone. He has been given Rs25 lakh of bounty amount, a sum of Rs50,000 as surrender amount and Rs10,000 against the gun right at the time he surrendered.
Encouraging Bada Vikas for his ‘courageous’ move, Pandey said the decision he took (to return to the mainstream of society) was something unprecedented in a number of ways. He said the amended provisions of Nayi Disha helped Maoists a lot to wear the soul of a gentleman. “CM Raghubar Das took the decision to release the surrender amount right at the time of surrender, which motivated the Maoists to drop the gun. He also increased amount of compensation up to Rs1 crore in 2015, which is being discussed to be increased up to Rs5 crore very soon.”
Pandey said the Government was doing every bit to eradicate naxalism from Jharkhand, as it was hampering overall growth of the State. Companies willing to invest huge amount in Jharkhand were hesitant to do so in areas where naxalism remained a serious issue.
He also assured naxalites that the Government was keen to do everything for their prosperity and good life ahead once they decided to return to the mainstream.
“It also poses a picture of how desperate are Maoists to join the mainstream of society given right assurance of a good life. It is a huge success for police and entire team engaged to make it happen,” said Police spokesperson and ADG (Operations) SN Pradhan at the occasion in Police headquarters.
He added that the importance of surrender by Bada Vikas multiplies manifold in light of the fact that he was among last few influential Scheduled Tribes workers in the organisation.
Pradhan emphasised on the fact that the naxal organisation was losing its sheen faster than ever with its shallow ideology, as one of the most dedicated members of the organisation decided to part the way.
He also requested other Maoists to return to the mainstream, as this was the only way they could help themselves, their family and the country.