Latehar (Jharkhand), July 5 (PTI) Two zonal commanders of the banned CPI (Maoists), each carrying a reward of Rs 10 lakh on their head, surrendered in Jharkhand’s Latehar district on Friday.
Zonal commanders Niraj Singh Kharwar, also known as Sanjay Kharwar, and Salman, also known as Lokesh or Rajkumar Ganju, laid down their arms and surrendered in the presence of DIG (Palamu) Y S Ramesh, Deputy Commissioner Garima Singh, SP Anjani Anjan, and CRPF battalions 11 & 214 represented by Ved Prakash Tripathy and K D Joshi, respectively.
During the ceremony, the surrendered Maoists were symbolically awarded a cheque of Rs 10 lakh each.
Addressing the occasion, DIG Ramesh said the duo was influenced by the government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy. He appreciated the crucial role played by CRPF, Cobra, Jharkhand Jaguar, and state police in this effort.
“The left-wing extremist group has weakened due to the continuous campaigns launched against them,” he said, urging remaining Maoists to surrender or face consequences.
The Deputy Commissioner assured financial assistance to the surrendered Maoists. She commended the performance of Latehar police, noting that 13 Naxals had already surrendered. She urged misguided youth to return to mainstream society and take advantage of the government’s surrender policy.
The SP mentioned that Latehar district was nearing the status of becoming “Naxal-free,” as their influence was minimal across the district.
Zonal commander Niraj Singh, who joined the outfit in 2004, operated extensively in Budapahad, a former Maoist stronghold, as well as in Panki, Maneka, and Harehanj regions of Palamu district. He faced about two dozen cases, including an attack on Jharkhand Jaguar personnel in Kujrum forest under Badesaad police station in 2018.
Salman had been an active member of the extremist group for over two decades, with five cases registered against him.
The surrendered Maoists expressed regret over spending a long time in the forest without achieving their objectives. They admitted that only a few remaining cadres were sustaining the organisation, advising them to return to mainstream society and lead a normal life. PTI COR BS MNB
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