Gadchiroli, Jul 27 (IANS): In a major development on the eve of the 'Maoist Week' starting July 28, a dreaded woman Maoist commander carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh laid down arms before the Gadchiroli Police, an official said here on Saturday.
The Maoist has been identified as Reena Borra Narote alias Lalita (36), who was the commander of a tailoring team of the Gadchiroli DVC hailing from the Maoist-infested Bhamragad tehsil in the district, said Superintendent of Police, Neelotpal.
When she was barely 18, Lalita joined the Perimili Dalam formation and later worked as a supply team member for the Maoist groups before getting trained as a seamstress in 2008 and joining the tailoring team. In 2014, she became the commander till she decided to quit on Saturday.
Besides tailoring, she was part of a jungle encounter with security forces in the Perimili Bhatti in 2020. The previous year (2019), she had killed a villager in the Nainwadi jungles.
Later, given her notorious record, the Maharashtra government announced Rs 8 lakh bounty on her name, but post-surrender, she will be entitled to compensation and other benefits under the government’s rehab and welfare schemes, Neelotpal said.
Earlier this week (July 24), another most wanted Maoist leader, Lachchu Kariya Tado (45), of Bhamragad Dalam with a reward of Rs 2 lakh on his head had given up violence and decided to join the mainstream.
Preceding them on July 11 were two women Maoists -- Pramila S. Boga (35) and Akila S. Pudo (34), each carrying Rs 8 lakh reward -- who surrendered before the Maharashtra Police.
On June 22, a Maoist couple with a joint reward of Rs 41 lakh gave up arms before the police, preceded by a Maoist, hounded by the security forces for 10 years with Rs 2 lakh reward, surrendering on June 10.
From 2022 till date, 23 most wanted Maoists have surrendered, most carrying big and small rewards on their heads, Neelotpal said, as he renewed his appeal to other rebels to follow suit.
Incidentally, on July 17, the combined security forces carried out an encounter – the biggest in seven years – in which 12 Maoists were gunned down in the forests along the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border. The forces also recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition from there.