Chhattisgarh: 103 Maoists surrender in Bijapur, abandon weapons worth over Rs 1 crore

Bijapur (Chhattisgarh) [India], October 3 (ANI): In a significant development, 103 Maoists surrendered to authorities in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, abandoning weapons valued at over Rs 1 crore, officials said on Friday.
The surrendered Maoists, who have now joined mainstream society, were each given a cheque of Rs 50,000 as an incentive, according to Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) P. Sundarraj.
On September 28, three Maoists, including a woman cadre, were killed in a gun battle with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district, police said.
According to police, the encounter broke out in the forested hill region of Chhindkhadak village, under the Kanker police station limits, when a joint team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) from Kanker and Gariaband, along with Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, launched a search operation.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kanker, I K Elesela, said that during the exchange of fire, two male Maoists and one woman Maoist were neutralised. The slain cadres included an outlaw carrying a bounty of 14 lakh.
"After the encounter, security personnel conducted a search at the site and recovered the bodies of the three Maoists along with weapons, including one SLR, one .303 rifle, one .12-bore gun, and other Maoist-related materials," the SSP said.
The operation is part of intensified counter-insurgency measures in the Bastar division, where security forces continue to step up action against the Maoists. In recent months, several high-profile Maoists have been neutralised, weakening the organisational structure of the Naxals.
Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had hailed security forces for achieving a major victory against the Naxalites in Narayanpur along the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border. (ANI)