Rs 5 lakh bounty Naxal sub-zonal commander surrenders in Jharkhand’s Latehar

Latehar — In a significant development for anti-Naxal operations, Surendra Lohra alias “Tiger”, a sub-zonal commander of the banned Maoist outfit Jharkhand Janmukti Parishad (JJP), surrendered before police in Jharkhand’s Latehar district on Thursday. 

Lohra, who carried a bounty of ?5 lakh, laid down arms in the presence of Palamu Range IG Shailendra Kumar Sinha and Latehar Superintendent of Police Kumar Gaurav.

A resident of Manjar village under Latehar Sadar police station limits, Lohra had been associated with various Maoist groups for nearly two decades. Police officials said he is wanted in several serious cases registered across different police stations in the district, reflecting his long involvement in extremist activities.

Welcoming the surrender, IG Sinha said the development was the result of the state government’s rehabilitation initiative “Nayi Disha”, which aims to bring Maoist cadres back into the mainstream. He added that Lohra was informed about the benefits available under the policy, which influenced his decision to abandon the path of violence. 

SP Kumar Gaurav said that 28 Maoists have surrendered in Latehar district during his tenure of around one-and-a-half years, attributing it to sustained anti-Naxal operations along with rehabilitation efforts. He described Lohra’s surrender as a major milestone in the ongoing campaign to make the district Maoist-free.

At the same time, the SP warned those still involved in insurgent activities to take advantage of the surrender policy or face strict action from security forces.

Several senior police officials, including DSP Vinod Ravani, Inspector Pramod Kumar and Station House Officer Krishna Pal Singh Pavaiya, were present during the surrender ceremony.
 

With inputs from IANS