Gadchiroli: Irked with mistreatment and discrimination from senior maoists, couple involved in naxal act surrender before cops

Two hardcore Naxals, a couple, against whom the government had declared a reward of Rs 12 lakhs had surrendered before the Gadchiroli police, officials informed on Thursday. The Naxals had given startling reasons for their surrender to the police, stating that women and children are being mistreated by senior Maoists in the Naxal organization, sterilizing process in Dalam and keeping couples separate from one another and discrimination between senior cadre and junior cadre in providing basic facilities.

The arrested alleged Naxals have been identified as Kolu alias Vikas alias Sukant Vinod Pada (27), resident of Narayanpur in Chhattisgarh and his wife and Gadchiroli resident Raje alias Debo Jairam Usendi (30).

According to the superintendent of police, Sukant had joined the Naxal activity in 2010. "He was personally involved in 03 murders, 07 encounters and 01 robberies, in all eleven offences, are registered against him. While operating with the Naxal organization, he laid ambushes against the security forces in Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Odisha," said a police officer.

He added, "Debo had joined Naxals in 2011 and was personally involved in 01 murder, 04 encounters and 01 arson. All 06 offences are registered against her. In 2019, she was also involved in the murder of one Sainath Tavve committed at village Musparshi."

The couple had told the police that their main reasons to surrender to the police were that women and children are being mistreated by senior Maoists in the Naxal organization, sterilizing process in Dalam and keeping couples separate from one another and discrimination between senior cadre and junior cadre in providing basic facilities.

Some of the other reasons to surrender were miles of travelling on foot in the jungle, lack of public support for the Naxalites, staying in the deep forest areas by transporting heavy loads of Dalam, and potential threat to the life from wild beasts and security forces, aggressive anti-Naxal operations of the police, lack of payments by senior Maoists for medical reason and attractive surrender policy of the Maharashtra government.

A total Rs 7.50 lakhs will be given to the surrendered couple by the government and also benefits under various developmental schemes will be provided to them, police said.

Due to the intensified anti-naxal operations conducted by Gadchiroli police, since the year 2019 to the year 2022 till date, a total number of 47 hardcore Naxalites have been surrendered before the Gadchiroli police.