Top Maoist Leaders Surrender Before Andhra DGP

Several key Maoist leaders today surrendered before the Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Harish Kumar Gupta.

The police also seized a large cache of arms and ammunition from them.

Among those who surrendered were senior leaders of the Maoist party including Jorige Nagaraju alias Kamlesh, who has been associated with the Maoist movement for over 34 years, and his wife Aruna alias Medaka Jyotheswari. Both hail from Krishna district.

Kamlesh was serving as the in-charge of the East Bastar Divisional Committee and held the rank of SZCM (Special Zonal Committee Member) in the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee. His wife Aruna was in charge of the Mobile Academic Political Organisation School.

According to police officials, the couple surrendered after realizing that their ideology was no longer sustainable due to the failures of the Maoist party and the policies of the Central Committee. Aruna, too, is said to have grown disillusioned with the party's direction.

The officials said that there was a reward of Rs 20 lakh for information about Kamlesh and Rs 5 lakh for Aruna in Andhra Pradesh.

As immediate relief, the DGP handed over cheques of Rs 20,000 each to the couple.

The DGP also handed over cheques worth Rs 22 lakh to 13 surrendered underground (UG) cadres, including Madakam Deva alias Bhagat, a Divisional Committee member.

The police also displayed the weapons recovered last week by operation teams in Alluri Sitarama Raju district. Based on accurate intelligence, a total of 18 weapons were seized, including an AK-47, two BGLs, five SLRs, two INSAS rifles, 606 live rounds and 37 kg of Kardex wire.

In the past year, Rs 64 lakh in rewards have been given to 48 surrendered Maoist cadres of various ranks.

Speaking on the occasion, DGP Harish Kumar Gupta said that five exchange-of-fire incidents had occurred in Andhra Pradesh recently, in which six Maoists were killed - including Central Committee member Uday, State Committee members Aruna and Jagan, and Divisional Committee Secretary Ramesh. Eight weapons were recovered during these encounters.

He added that seven UG cadres had been arrested and 40 had surrendered so far, and appealed to the remaining Maoist cadres to surrender, assuring them that the Andhra Pradesh Police would fully support their reintegration under the State's surrender policy. He said that in addition to rewards, Maoists who surrendered would be provided housing and employment opportunities.

He said that currently 20 individuals from Andhra Pradesh were working with the Maoist party in various States, of whom five held the rank of SZCM.