Sukma (Chhattisgarh): A female Naxalite on whose head police had announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh surrendered in a dramatic fashion in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh's Bastar division on Saturday.
Veko Hidamen, who was active for 15 years in the border areas of Dantewada-Sukma, gave up arms under the Pune Narkom (‘new dawn’ in the Gondi language) campaign being run by the police in accordance with the rehabilitation policy of the Government of Chhattisgarh. The female Naxalite surrendered on the second day of the purported 'martyrdom week' being observed by the Naxals from 28 July to 3 August in memory of the slain Naxals.
The Chhattisgarh government had declared a reward of Rs 5 lakh on her. At the same time, the Sukma police had also announced a reward of Rs 10,000 on her. Tongpal's sub-divisional police officer Tomesh Verma said that the Sukma police are continuously campaigning in Naxalite-affected areas under the 'new dawn' campaign. During this, an appeal was made to all active Naxalites to surrender. Banner posters were also put up at various places. Impressed by this, Hidamen, who was active in Janatana Sarkar as president ACM rank, surrendered.
She has been involved in Naxal incidents in Katekalyan-Tongpal area. Soon after she surrendered, the police gave her the incentive amount and promised to provide her with all the facilities available under the rehabilitation policy. A top police official called Hidamen's surrender a "big success".
Earlier in March this year, another woman Naxalite with a similar reward of Rs 5 lakh on her head, had surrendered before security forces in Sukma district. Like Hidamen, the Naxalite, Santo alias Rame, was also impressed by the state government’s rehabilitation policy for surrendered Maoists and district police’s Puna Narkom campaign and hence decided to quit the armed movement, Sukma Superintendent of Police Sunil Sharma said.
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