Chhattisgarh: Maoist involved in killing of villagers surrenders in Dantewada

A 25-year-old Maoist, who was allegedly involved in killing three villagers in separate incidents in Chhattisgarh, surrendered in Dantewada district of the state, a police official said on Sunday.

The Naxal, identified as Manglu Poyam, turned himself in before police here on Saturday, Dantewada Superintendent of Police Siddharth Tiwari said.

Poyam cited disillusionment with the ”hollow” and ”inhuman” Maoist ideology as the reason for his surrender, he said.

He was active as a militia member of the Indravati area committee of the rebels. He was involved in the killing of three villagers on the suspicion of being police informers in 2014-15, 2016 and 2019 in Bijapur district and one more Naxal incident, Tiwari said.

Following his surrender, Poyam will be rehabilitated as per the state government’s policy, he added.

So far, 516 Naxals, including 127 who carried rewards on their heads, have quit violence in Dantewada district under the ‘Lon Varratu’ (which means ‘return to your home/village’ in Gondi dialect) campaign launched by the police in June 2020, the official said.