Ranchi: A top Maoist carrying Rs 15 lakh on his head and is wanted in connection with more than 70 cases in Jharkhand, Bihar and Chhattisgarh surrendered before the security forces on Wednesday, police said. The surrendered ultra is a 'regional commander' of the CPI-Maoist Naveen alias Sarabjit Yadav alias Vijay Yadav, who is one of the top commanders of the outfit in the state.
He surrendered at Chatra, the district from where he hails. "There are more than 70 cases against the surrendered Maoist, who was active for the last 10 years in Jharkhand, Bihar and Chhattisgarh ... His surrender is a major achievement for Jharkhand police," a police official said. In Jharkhand, he operated in Palamu, Budha Pahad, Latehar, Garhwa and other areas, besides Chatra and there was a Rs 15 lakh bounty on his head. He also operated in Gaya in Bihar and Balarampur district in Chhattisgarh.
A Jharkhand Police statement said that the banned outfit had significantly increased its activity in the Chatra-Palamu subzone area, considered to be the safest in the central zone, in the last few years. Efforts were being made by it to strengthen its hold in the area but due to continuous action by the force and other central paramilitary forces, many top commanders of the CPI(Maoist) organisation were killed or captured.
Many Maoists surrendered under the 'Nai Disha' policy of the Jharkhand government and, it said adding the police is resolved to make the state a Naxal-free one. The statement said recently many top Maoists, had surrendered to the police. They included regional committee member Indal Ganjhu who carried a reward of Rs 15 lakh, zonal commander Amarjeet Yadav whose arrest carried a reward of Rs 10 lakh, sub-zonal commander Sahdev Yadav, who carried a reward of Rs five lakh. The police official said that the Jharkhand government has made amendments to rules for the rehabilitation of Maoists, including the provision of open jails.
"All round action is being taken against all Naxalite organisations by Jharkhand Jaguar and other central paramilitary forces ... The police is getting continuous successes against the Naxalite organisations. The Jharkhand government's surrender and rehabilitation policy 'Nayi Disha' is being widely publicised to bring stray naxalites back into the mainstream to integrate them into the mainstream of the society," the statement said.
It said the government has amended the Jharkhand Open Jail-cum-Rehabilitation Camp Rules, under which Naxalites who surrender can be kept in an open jail without any delay.
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