Modiyam: ‘Bijapur’s most violent Naxal commander’
Police officials have labeled Modiyam as “Bijapur’s most violent Naxal commander.”
He was a key figure in numerous brutal attacks on villagers, off-duty police personnel, and even fellow Maoist cadres.
The couple surrendered with their child, citing fear for their lives as the primary reason.
Internal chaos within the Maoist organization and threats from his own men reportedly led to Modiyam’s decision to surrender.
Policy challenge
Surrender challenges Chhattisgarh administration’s policies
The surrender of Modiyam and Tati puts the Chhattisgarh administration in a dilemma over enforcing surrender policies for hardcore commanders.
Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Vijay Sharma had earlier said leniency won’t be extended to such people as they are destructive.
However, some police officers feel harsh action against Modiyam could break the momentum of surrenders among other Maoists.
Documentation
Surrender yet to be officially documented
While several police officers have confirmed the surrender, it hasn’t been officially documented by authorities.
A police press note hinted that Modiyam and his wife were disillusioned with the Naxal organization and influenced by rehabilitation policies.
An officer said sending surrendered cadres like Modiyam to jail might be counterproductive.
A photo of the couple’s surrender has been doing rounds on social media but wasn’t released by police.
Transformation
Modiyam’s journey: From naive school dropout to Maoist commander
Ganesh Mishra, a Bijapur journalist who was acquainted with Modiyam since childhood, said he was once “naive and innocent” before joining the Naxals after dropping out of school.
Modiyam’s rise through the Maoist ranks began as a teenager when he started planting IEDs and became an ambush specialist.
Despite being shot twice in encounters with security forces, he survived and continued his activities till his recent surrender.