25 Naxalites, including 5 with bounty of Rs 28 lakh surrender in Bijapur

Twenty-five Naxalites, five of them carrying a cumulative bounty of Rs 28 lakh on their heads, surrendered in Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh on Monday, a senior police official said.

The 25 ultras, who were active in Gangloor and Bhairamgarh area committees of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist), include two women, the official added. "The two women, Shambati Madkam (23) and Jyoti Punem (27), and Mahesh Telam were active in company no. 2 of the Maoists and carried rewards of Rs 8 lakh each on their heads. Madkam was active in the movement since 2012 and was allegedly involved in the 2020 Minpa ambush in Sukma in which 17 personnel lost their lives. She was also involved in the Tekalgudem (Bijapur) attack in which 22 security personnel were killed in 2021," said Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Yadav. "Punem and Telam were allegedly involved in an encounter in Pidia village in Bijapur in May this year in which 12 Naxalites were gunned down. Vishnu Kartam .