Raipur, Mar 31: Security forces have recovered the body of a female Maoist along with weapons, including an INSAS rifle, other ammunition, and daily-use materials from the encounter site near the Dantewada-Bijapur border in Chhattisgarh, officials reported on Monday.

A team of security forces had embarked on an anti-Naxal operation in the border area of the Dantewada and Bijapur districts.

Officials stated that continuous firing between Maoists and security forces has been going on since 9 a.m.

The Dantewada-Bijapur border is considered the most sensitive Maoist-affected area in Chhattisgarh.

On March 20, security forces eliminated 30 Maoists in two separate encounters -- 26 near the Dantewada-Bijapur border and four in Kanker. Additionally, on March 25, security forces neutralized three Maoists in a fierce gunfight near the Dantewada-Bijapur border. This encounter, which occurred along the banks of the Indravati River, marked a significant success in the ongoing anti-Maoist operation aimed at making India Naxal-free by next year.

On Sunday, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Chhattisgarh, 50 Maoists surrendered to security forces.

A day earlier, 15 Maoists in Dantewada district surrendered and pledged to join the mainstream. The Maoists surrendered under the ‘Lon Varratu’ (Come Back Home) campaign, which has been extensively promoted in villages by the District Police Force and CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force).

This campaign has successfully inspired numerous Maoists, including hard-core Naxal leaders, to lay down their weapons and embrace a peaceful existence.

According to the new policy, surrendered individuals will benefit from the Chhattisgarh government’s comprehensive rehabilitation measures, which include financial aid of Rs 25,000, skill development training, agricultural land, and other support systems.

The newly introduced 'Naxal Surrender/Victim Relief and Rehabilitation Policy-2025' further enhances these benefits, offering increased compensation, job opportunities, land, and free education for victims of Naxal violence. Since its inception, the Lon Varratu campaign has facilitated the surrender of 977 Maoists, officials had said.

(IANS)

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