Even as the horrifying incident of mutilating a CRPF trooper’s body and inserting IED in the stomach had almost faded from the people’s memory, the gruesome incident was relived on Tuesday as the Jharkhand police managed to make the person behind the ghastly incident, Gajendra Sao alias Gujju Sao, surrender and succeeded in breaking the chain of command of CPI-Maoist in latehar district.
Sao was among the two ultras to surrender whereas other was the sub-zonal commander of North latehar, Kuldeep Mehta. The ultras surrendered under the ‘Nai Disha’ initiative that was launched for bringing extremists back to the mainstream of the society. Sao is the native of Amwatikar whereas Mehta belonged to Palhaiya village under Manika PS in latehar.
“Turning point in operation ‘Nai Disha’ came because of the State Government’s policy and when Jharkhand became the first state for announcing Rs 1-core award for all the politburo members. Ultras who will surrender will get the bounty that was put on their head,” said Director General of Police, DK Pandey.
Sao was active in South latehar district as the sub-zonal commander of the left-wing-extremists group and has been wanted in connection with 32 cases, including that of planting bomb inside the dead body of a CRPF trooper martyred in an ambush in Amwatikar under Manika in 2013. He was also involved in the attack on the convoy of former MP Inder Singh Namdhari in December 2011. Sao was a named accused in killing police jawans in 2013 and several bomb blast cases besides blowing up railway track in Barwadih. Mehta was involved in seven cases, including blowing up a school building.
The ultras were given Rs 50,000 after they surrendered with arms and would get Rs 5-lakh in two instalments. The two sub-zonal commanders are likely to be given amnesty under various surrender policies of the Union government and State government even as the police is exploring their involvement in other cases.
“There is a policy of withdrawal of cases which is included in national and state policy as well. We will be submitting a proposal in this regard for the two ultras and they will be given whatever applicable under the surrender policy,” said Spokesperson of Jharkhand Police, SN Pradhan.
Meanwhile, Sao expressed change of heart for surrendering and entering the mainstream of society. He cited alleged atrocities against people for taking the path of violence however confessed developing disenchantment from the act.
“I had joined the MCC party to help people get justice, however later on I felt that it was not good, so left the organisation and joined the mainstream of the society,” said Sao.