Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday declared Abujhmarh hilly forest area in Chhattisgarh's North Bastar Naxal-free after 170 Maoists surrendered. Welcoming the surrendering Maoists, who joined the mainstream, Shah applauded their decision to renounce violence and have faith in the Constitution of India.

The development comes a day after 27 Maoists, including 10 women, surrendered to security forces in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district. The group also included two hardcore cadres from the feared People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) Battalion-01, one of the most dangerous units of the insurgency network.

Also on Wednesday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that Senior Maoist leader and CPI (Maoist) politburo member Mallojula Venugopal Rao, also known as Bhupathi

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