CAPF camps to come up at Karreguttalu to protect forests

CAPFs will set up camps on Karreguttalu hillocks to safeguard forest wealth and support adivasi access. As many as 300 Maoists have surrendered in Kothagudem under Operation Cheyutha, citing welfare schemes and party decline as major reasons

Kothagudem: The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) will soon set up camps on the Karreguttalu hillocks to protect forest wealth and ensure that adivasis can freely access and utilise forest resources, informed Superintendent of Police B Rohith Raju.

Since January this year, 300 Maoists of various ranks have surrendered to Kothagudem police under ‘Operation Cheyutha’. On Saturday, six CPI (Maoist) cadres surrendered before the Kothagudem SP, along with officials of CRPF battalions 81, 141, 151 and 204 CoBRA.

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Of the 300 who surrendered, four were DVCM/CYPC cadres, 19 ACM/PPCM cadres, 37 party members, 107 militia members, 35 RPC members, 47 DAKMS/KAMS members, 30 CNM members, and 21 GRD members, the SP said.

Rohith Raju noted that lower-rung Maoists were increasingly unwilling to follow the orders of top leadership and wished to return to their native villages to lead peaceful lives with their families, as the CPI (Maoist) was in its final stages of decline.

The mass surrenders were attributed to growing awareness of the Telangana government’s welfare schemes for surrendered cadres and its development initiatives for adivasis.

“It’s a positive sign that over 90 percent of the surrendered Maoists, mostly poor tribals, are now thinking about the future of their families and are choosing to join the mainstream,” he said.

He added that many Maoist cadres were in poor health and unable to move due to a lack of food, support, and cooperation from local adivasis living in forested areas.

As interim relief, Rs. 58 lakh has been disbursed among the 300 surrendered armed cadres. The six who surrendered on Saturday were given Rs. 25,000 each. Additionally, Rs. 10.75 lakh in reward money will be deposited into their bank accounts soon, the SP said.

Bhadrachalam ASP Vikrant Kumar Singh and other officials were present.