Raipur, March 4: The Chhattisgarh Police have claimed to have busted a local Maoist network created by “leaders from outside” in Kumakuleng area of Jagdalpur, with the surrender of 23 cadres. Three of the Maoists carried rewards of Rs one lakh each.
Senior police officers said each of the surrendered Naxals had ration cards and Aadhaar cards. Most of them had election cards as well.
“The police have been working towards getting local Naxals to surrender to break the back of the Naxal organisation. We want that local Naxals surrender and work with the police against those from outside,” a press statement issued by the police said. It added that the Maoist leadership allows locals to get official documents so that “they can take cover as poor villagers, adivasis or labourers”.
The release said Maoists entered the Kumakoleng area in 2004, under the leadership of one Deva, who has since left the organisation. “This village has a good level of education, and most people have studied till class VIII. But under Naxal influence, there was increase in violence,” the police release said.
It said things began to change after the death of Maoist commander Sonadhar, who was a “terror in the area”. This led to a series of events that eventually led to the surrenders on Tuesday.
