Kawardha (Chhattisgarh): Any person sharing information about Naxalites in Chhattisgarh's Kawardha district will receive Rs 5 lakh and job, police announced on Tuesday.
In the last few years, forests in Kawardha, have turned out to be a safe haven for Naxalites considering its strategic location that lies near the borders of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh. Also, taking advantage of the adjoining Kanha National Park of Madhya Pradesh, Naxalites carry out major incidents and successfully hide in the forests.
Now, a new initiative has been taken by Kawardha Police to end Naxalism in the district. Police have announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh and a job for anyone providing information about Naxalites leading to their arrest or encounters. Also, a cash reward would be given to those convincing Naxalites to surrender.
Kawardha SP Abhishek Pallav said that cash rewards have been announced for arrest and killing of Naxalites in Kanha and Bhoramdev division of the district. If a Naxalite is killed on the information of a villager or surrenders with the help of a villager, then police will give a government job along with the reward, Pallav added.
"We have put up pamphlets across the area informing people about this. This has raised a lot of enthusiasm among villagers. We will make Kawardha Naxal-free by December 2024," Pallav said.
Apart from putting up pamphlets, Kawardha Police are also sharing this information through WhatsApp. A message in this regard has been sent to 35,000 people in three days.
Civil defence teams are being formed in every village to inform police and take necessary measures whenever Naxalites enter the area, the SP said.
According to Pallav, in the last three months, more than 6 police camps have been opened in Naxal-affected areas of Kawardha district at every 7 to 8 kilometre interval in the Naxalite areas so that police can take prompt action after getting any information.
Kawardha has been declared a Naxal-affected district since 2015. There were 6 encounters in the district and one male and two female Naxalites were killed in three encounters.
The first Naxalite encounter in the district took place on May 31, 2018 in Chhumarchhapar under Taregaon police station and one male Naxalite was killed. In the second encounter on August 31, 2018 in Pratapgarh, a female Naxalite was killed and in the third encounter on September 29, 2019 in Suratiya forest another female Naxalite was killed. All carried rewards of Rs 5 lakh each.
Two Naxalite organisations are active in the district namely Bhoramdev Area Committee and Bodla Area Committee.
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