They will be rehabilitated as per govt. policy: Sheohar SP

Sixteen Maoists returned to the mainstream before Bihar Police and Sashastra Seema Bal personnel in Sheohar district on the Indo-Nepal border in Bihar at an event organised on Tuesday to celebrate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as ‘National Unity Day’. Disillusioned with the ultra-left ideology, the surrendered Maoists pledged to join the mainstream.

“A total of 16 Naxals returned to the mainstream in Sheohar district… they’ll be rehabilitated as per the policy of the State government,” Sheohar Superintendent of Police Prakash Nath Mishra told The Hindu over phone. All the Maoists had been arrested earlier and were out on bail, added the SP. Senior SSB officer (Patna Frontier) Chanchal Shekhar said that the Maoists are in the age group of 35-50 and had cases under the Arms Act, Explosives Act and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) registered against them. The SSB has deployed its 27th battalion in Sheohar district to undertake anti-Maoist operations.

State Cooperative Minister Rana Randhir Singh, Tirhut zone IG Sunil Kumar too were present at the ceremony.

Police said that some of the Maoists were allegedly involved in the loot of firearms from the Dekuli police picket in 2002 and the killing of six policemen by triggering a landmine blast at Shyampur Bhataha in Sheohar district in 2010. Curiously, the Maoists didn’t deposit any firearms at the time of surrender.