Maharashtra: 502 Naxals surrender in 10 years; rehabilitated

Nagpur: Maharashtra government's Naxal surrender policy has yielded positive results with 502 Maoists giving up arms in the last 10 years and have been rehabilitated.
Of these, 482 rebels have surrendered alone in Gadchiroli district, considered as a Naxal hotbed.

The Maharashtra government had launched a Naxal surrender policy on August 29, 2005 which has been extended time and again till date, official sources from Anti-Naxalite Operations (ANO) of Maharashtra Police said.

Around 502 Naxals have given up arms in the last 10 years. The first rebel to surrender was Madan Anna alias Balan Ballya in 2005, they said.

"Police and district authorities motivate Naxals to give up their arms. In 2013 and 2014 around 49 and 40 Naxals surrendered respectively while 25 Maoists turned themselves in till September this year," sources added.

Among the ultras who have surrendered are one state zonal committee member, six divisional committee members, 16 commanders, 24 deputy commanders and 218 dalam members besides 110 Gram rakshak, 127 Sangam members, they said.

According to them, while men are given skill training through Industrial Training Institute and taught motor vehicle driving, women are trained in sewing and selling vegetables.

In Gadchiroli, Aheri, Sironcha, Bhamragarh and Etapalli are the most affected tehsils.