Naxal couple with bounty of Rs 7 lakh surrenders

A Naxal couple has surrendered before senior police and CRPF officials in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district. The couple carried a reward of Rs 7 lakh on their heads. Inspector-General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P said that the couple turned themselves in, citing disappointment with hollow Maoist ideology and exploitation of tribals by senior ultras.

Bijapur (Chhattisgarh): A Naxal couple, carrying a reward of Rs 7 lakh on their heads, on Saturday surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, police said.

Among them, Gopi Modiyam (35) was involved in the naxal attacks on Murkinar camp and in Pamalwaya in 2006 in which 17 security personnel, including policemen, were killed.

Modiyam was an active member of Gangaloor Area Committee of Maoists while his wife Bharti Kattam (32) was part of military platoon no. 2. She was involved in a string of naxal incidents, said Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P.

Modiyam was carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh and Bharti of Rs 2 lakh, he said.

The couple turned themselves in before senior police and CRPF officials, citing disappointment with hollow Maoist ideology and exploitation of tribals by senior ultras, said Sundarraj P.

At least 73 cases related to naxal incidents, including attacks on police teams, murder and loot, were registered against Modiyam in different police stations of Bijapur district, the senior officer said.

"The naxal attack at Murkinar camp in 2006 wherein 11 security personnel were killed and the attack in Pamalwaya (2006) in which six policemen were killed were among the incidents in which he was involved," he said.

Bharti Kattam was also involved in several Maoist-related incidents in the area and carried a reward of Rs 2 lakh on her head, the IG said.

"Modiyam in his statement said he was disappointed as he was removed from the post of Gangaloor area committee secretary in 2012 and was not given the rank of divisional committee member (DVCM) despite being a senior cadre," he said.

The couple was given Rs 10,000 each as encouragement money and will be further provided assistance as per the surrender and rehabilitation policy of the state government, he said.

PTI