Chambal dacoits surrender

MORENA, DEC 1: More than 30 dacoits today laid down arms in the Chambal valley in a watered-down version of a major surrender drama planned...

MORENA, DEC 1: More than 30 dacoits today laid down arms in the Chambal valley in a watered-down version of a major surrender drama planned by DGP A N Pathak. Among those who surrendered are Rameshwar Singh Gujjar of Dholepur district in Rajasthan, accused of four murders, and Kammod Singh, dreaded for his kidnapping activities.

The Morena SP, Ravi Sinha, told The Indian Express that a total of 10 dacoits with rewards on their heads ranging from Rs 5000 to Rs 1000 had surrendered in his district.

In Bhind, around two dozen dacoits surrendered arms after mediation by Tiger Bhadoria, who had been instrumental in the surrender of Phoolan Devi, Malkhan Singh and Ramesh Sikarwar. The dacoits have been charged under various sections of the IPC, including Sections 302 and 364. They will now be kept in a special barrack at Gwalior Jail, and as granted under the terms of surrender, their families will be protected.

When 6-ft 2-inch tall Kammod Singh, sporting a Veerappan-type moustache and a red tilak, was brought to Morena Kotwali, a big crowd of onlookers collected outside. Singh appeared confident and unrepentant.

He is wanted for several murders in Bhind. When asked whether he would now give up a life of crime, he just mumbled inaudibly, leaving the impression of being on some sort of drugs.

Stung by the reversal that DGP Pathak suffered because of the lack of political support and the demands put forward by the dacoits, the MP Police has now decided to launch a massive hunt for those who refused to surrender.Three additional companies of the Special Armed Forces SAF have been moved to Morena and Bhind to augment the available force.

Sinha said that he was likely to have 600 SAF men, apart from 1500 policemen, to comb the beehar and dang ravines and jungles.

Story continues below this ad

One company of the SAF has already reached Morena while two companies have reached Bhind, in a bid to force Hari Baba and Phakkar to surrender. Ramesh Kushwaha, Prema, Kachi, Bhima Kachi, Raju Kushwala and Vimlesh Jatav, the big-name dacoits who have not yet surrendered and have rewards in excess of Rs 10,000 on their heads, are now likely to be hunted down.