Two Maoists, one from Chhattisgarh, with Rs 6-lakh reward, lay down arms

Nagpur, Sep 21 (IANS) Notching another success, two hardcore Maoists, including a woman from Chhattisgarh, carrying a total reward of Rs six lakhs, have surrendered before the security forces to lead a normal life, Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police Ankit Goyal said here on Wednesday.

They are Anil alias Ramsay Jagdeo Kujur, 26 of Maharashtra and a woman Roshani alias Irape Narango Paollo, 30, of Chhattisgarh.

Goyal said that Anil, carrying a reward of Rs four lakhs, joined a Kasansur group in December 2009 and then worked with various other Maoist dalams, working as a militia for the past 10 years.

He was wanted for several major offences, including the 2011 Khobramendha encounter and Gyarapatti Road ambush, and the Chhota Zeliya firing cases, which left one CRPF jawan dead and 10 injured.

Hailing from Chhattisgarh state, Roshani, with a reward of Rs two lakhs, became a rebel in 2009 with the Jetpur Maoist group, then worked in several other dalams before being promoted as a militia in 2018 till date.

She was charged with killing three civilians in Gadchiroli in 2015 and was involved in the 2015 and 2017 forest encounters in Mauja Kundala and Mauja Durwada (both Chhattisgarh).

Upon surrender, the Anil-Roshani duo cited various reasons, including exploitation at the hands of senior Maoists, their selfish style of functioning, lack of privacy or independence to married Maoist couples, increased operations by security personnel.

They also cited how senior Maoists usurping extorted money for their personal benefits, lack of medical attention and nomadic life, ordered killings of tribals or villagers on mere suspicions of being 'informers', lack of security for women Maoists who were compelled to marry their seniors, during encounters, women were made scapegoats or left to be killed, etc.

Post-surrender, the duo will each be entitled to Rs 500,000 from the Centre and state governments for rehabilitation, and other facilities to enable them join the social and national mainstream, said Goyal.

From 2019 till date, 51 dreaded Maoists have given themselves up before the security forces and have been absorbed in the social mainstream, and Goyal appealed to all other rebels to give up violence and lay down arms.