Chhattisgarh: Maoist-stronghold Gariaband May Go Abujhmad Way To Become Naxal-Free

Raipur: A day after two Maoist citadels in Chhattisgarh, Abujhmad and North Bastar, fell following the mass surrender of ultras operating in these two regions, another Naxal-stronghold, Gariaband, in the eastern part of the state is going to become rebel-free with the head of the local unit of the banned CPI (Maoist) declaring to lay down arms along with the cadres.

Sunil, commander of Udanti Area Committee of Maoists guarding the Naxal fortress of Gariaband, has made his intentions clear to surrender along with the cadres of his units in a letter written to them.

In his purported letter, the Maoist commander appealed to the Naxal cadres to give up arms and surrender ‘since the situation now is not favourable for continuing armed struggle’.

“Our Udanti Area Committee is going to lay down arms. I appeal to all units (under his command) such as Gobra, Sinapalli, SDK and Sitanadi, to give up arms following the footsteps of our leaders Sonu Dada and Rupesh”, he said.

“This is the right time to surrender. Take a decision (in this regard) before it is too late”, Sunil exhorted cadres of his units.

He also shared his mobile number in the letter asking the Naxal cadres to contact him to discuss the matter and set a deadline of 12.30 PM on October 20 to take a decision on it.

Sonu Dada alias Venugopal alias Abhay surrendered in Maharashtra along with 60 cadres on October 16, while Rupesh surrendered in Bastar in Chhattisgarh along with 209 other Maoists on Oct 17.

Venugopal was a politburo member of the banned outfit while Rupesh was a Central Committee Member (CCM)

Raipur range inspector general of police Amaresh Mishra on Saturday confirmed to this newspaper on the development, and said that he was quite hopeful of witnessing a mass surrender of Naxals in Gariaband soon.

“We have seen two major encounters in Gariaband in the last several months in which 26 Naxals including two CCMs, Modem Balkrishna and Chalpathi, were killed. Sunil now heads the Dhamtari- Gariaband- Nuapada Division of Maoists active in Gariaband. He has declared to lay down arms along with the cadres.

This, when happens, will make Gariaband Naxal-free. We are quite hopeful about it”, he said.