Nine naxals, incluiding three carrying bounty, surrender in Chhattisgarh

Nine Naxals, three of them carrying cash rewards on their heads, surrendered on Tuesday in Chhattisgarh, police said.

Seven of them surrendered in Bijapur district while two surrendered in Sukma district. Both districts fall in the insurgency-hit Bastar division.

Laxman Vanjami (29), Neelkanth Ranjit (26), Gudsa Vacham (29), Raju Ram Vacham (30), Laysu Vacham (25), Manga Diwa (18) and Chinna Majji (19) turned themselves in before Bijpaur police.

Laxman and Neelkanth, both active LGS (local guerrilla squad) members, and Gudsa Vacham were carrying rewards of Rs 1 lakh on their heads, a police official said.

Raju, who was deputy head of the Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisan Mazdoor Sangthan (a frontal outfit of the Maoists), also handed over a muzzle-loading gun to police.

These seven rebels were allegedly involved in incidents of murder, attempt to murder and attack on police teams, the official said.

In Sukma, two lower-rung cadres -- Podiyam Pandu (35) and Hemla Suya (30) -- surrendered before CRPF and police officials at Dornapal police station.

The two were allegedly involved in the deadly Kasalpad attack in Chintagufa area of Sukma in 2014 in which 14 security personnel were killed, the official added.

Surrendered ultras said in their statements that they were disappointed with the Maoist ideology and violence and wanted to see development in tribal areas.

Those who surrendered in Bijapur district were given "encouragement" allowance of Rs 10,000 each.

All nine rebels would be given assistance as per the surrender and rehabilitation policy of the state government, the official said.