Six Maoists, including a woman, surrender before cops

RAIPUR: Six Maoists, including a woman cadre, today surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Kondagaon district, police said.

"The Maoist cadres turned themselves in before senior police officials citing disappointment with exploitation of lower rung cadres by senior leaders of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) and getting impressed with the surrender policy of the Chhattisgarh state government," Kondagaon Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Surjit Atri told PTI.

Among those who surrendered, Agnu alias Sagnu (30), who was Kiskodo Janmilitia commander of the banned CPI (Maoist), is the most dreaded one, Atri said.

He was trained in making bombs, laying booby traps and using emergency medical aid in the forests of Karimnagar district of then undivided Andhra Pradesh state, the ASP said adding, he worked there from 2008 to 2013.

He was involved in several Maoist incidents in both Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh and carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head, he said.

Other Maoists cadres who surrendered were identified as Pankaram Gond, 47, Sukhdev Marai 48, Sukhram 25, Lakru Ram, 28 and a woman cadre Ramo Bai, 32. All of them were working as Maoist squad members, Atri said.

They would be provided assistance as per the Chhattisgarh government's policy, he said.

According to Chhattisgarh government statistics, the total number of Maoist rebels laying down their arms this year has crossed 340 in the insurgency-hit stat