Sixty-two “hardcore Naxals” surrendered before security forces in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, police in the poll-bound state said, a development Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh described as a “huge achievement”.
Of the 62 Naxals, 55 surrendered with their arms and ammunition in Narayanpur district, Inspector General of Police (Bastar) Vivekanand Sinha told PTI.
The home minister said the success of the government’s surrender policy was pushing Naxal cadres to shun the path of violence.
“…I congratulate the State Chief Minister @drramansingh the DGP and the police force for this huge achievement,” he tweeted soon after the surrender.
Happy to know that a large number of Left Wing Extremists have surrendered before the Police by giving up their arms in Chhattisgarh. I congratulate the State Chief Minister @drramansingh the DGP and the police force for this huge achievement. 1/3
— राजनाथ सिंह (@rajnathsingh) November 6, 2018
October 30, Naxals had attacked the Doordarshan TV crew early on Tuesday morning during an election coverage in which Doordarshan cameraperson Achyutananda Sahu was killed. Three security personnel were also killed in the attack.
Read | Naxals attack Doordarshan crew, kill cameraman, 2 cops in Chhattisgarh
Days after the attack, the far-left radical group released a statement saying that they had no intention of targeting the cameraman.
The ultras have called upon voters to boycott the assembly polls, scheduled to be held in two phases next month.
Polling for the 90-seat Chhattisgarh Assembly is scheduled to be held in two phases – on November 12 for 18 seats and on November 20 for 72 constituencies.
Most of the constituencies in the first phase fall in the state’s Bastar region.
The counting of votes will be taken up on December 11.
(With PTI inputs)