Dantewada: Twelve Naxals have surrendered before the police under the 'Lone Varatu' (return to home) programme, police said on Sunday.
Abhishek Pallava, Superintendent of Police (SP), Dantewada said, "On Sunday, 12 Naxals surrendered to the Dantewada police under the 'Lone Varatu' (Return to Home) programme. Five of them were carrying rewards on them. So far 83 Naxalites have surrendered under the 'Lone Varatu' programme that started in the month of June this year."
Among the 12 Naxals, there were five Naxal who were carrying rewards were identified as Chanduram Sethia of platoon 26 (Rs. 2 lakh), Lakhmu Hemla Amdai Area Committee Party member (Rs. 1 lakh), Sunil Tati supplier of platoon 16 (Rs. 1 lakh), Manu Mandavi supplier of platoon 16 (Rs.1 lakh), Commander of Janmilishiya (Rs. 1lakh). Each one was provided with an incentive of Rs. 10 thousand.
"Out of the 12 Naxals, five of them were carrying weapons, five were with bows and arrows and two were empty-handed," the SP said.
"They belong to frontline workers who live in villages and were trapped between police and Maoists. They are being interrogated. There are cases of murder of police personnel, bomb blast and ambush against them," the SP said.
"Since they have surrendered under the Lone Varatu program so they have a choice where to work. They will be interrogated and if they want to work in the village then farming and fisheries activity will be arranged for them. Those who want to work with the police, that will also be done," he added.
So far, 71 Maoists, including 15 carrying reward, have joined the Lone Varratu campaign and surrendered in front of the police in the last two months ago.
(WITH INPUTS FROM ANI)
