Two hardcore Naxals were killed during an encounter at the Kondagaon-Narayanpur border in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday morning. The police also recovered an AK-47 rifle and the bodies of the slain Naxals from the site. IG Bastar P Sundarraj said search operations are currently underway in the area.
26 Maoists surrender in Dantewada
Recently, in a significant boost to the anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh, 26 Maoists--three of them carrying cash rewards--surrendered before senior police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officials in Dantewada on Monday. The surrender took place at the District Reserve Guard (DRG) headquarters as part of the ongoing 'Lon Varratu' (Come Home) campaign, which aims to reintegrate former extremists into mainstream society. The surrender was facilitated by the joint efforts of the district police, CRPF, and the state's special rehabilitation policy.
As part of the state government's new rehabilitation policy, each surrendered Maoist will receive Rs 50,000 in immediate assistance and access to a range of benefits, including skill development training and agricultural land. The 'Lon Varratu' campaign has been a substantial success since its launch. So far, 953 Maoists--including 224 carrying cash rewards--have surrendered.
CM claims Naxalism nearing end in the state
Earlier, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai credited his government's efforts to work on rehabilitation policies, which resulted in the surrender of about 1,314 Naxalites. He said that Naxalism was "breathing its last" in the state. "About 1,314 Naxalites have surrendered, and the government is doing justice to them. We have separately arranged 15,000 Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana for them. We keep them in the district headquarters, and we are also working on their skill development so that they can get some employment. We also give them jobs in third and fourth classes of government organisations as per their qualification," the CM told news agency ANI.
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