JAGDALPUR, Oct 17: The surrender of top Naxalite Rupesh along with 209 other cadres on Friday has dealt a major blow to the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist), which is already reeling due to the deaths of its key operatives, including its general secretary, in encounters, police officials said here.
The 210 surrendered cadres, including 111 women, from Dandakaranya region, which comprises parts of south Chhattisgarh (Bastar) and bordering areas of Odisha, Telangana, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, carried a cumulative bounty of Rs 9.18 crore, they said.
Takkallapalli Vasudeva Rao, also known by aliases Aashanna, Rupesh and Satish, one of the most wanted leaders of the banned outfit, carried a bounty of Rs 40 lakh, they said.
“For the first time in the history of anti-Naxal operations, such a large number of Maoist cadres have collectively quit violence and surrendered their weapons, which is a symbolic end to the armed struggle,” Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range Sundarraj P said.
The surrendered cadres handed over 153 weapons, including 19 AK-47 rifles, 17 SLR rifles, 23 INSAS rifles, 1 INSAS LMG (Light Machine Gun), thirty six .303 rifles, four carbines, 11 BGLs (Barrel Grenade Launchers), 41 single-barrel / 12-bore guns, one pistol, Sundarraj said. (PTI)
