Nagpur, May 25 (IANS): Two dreaded Maoists, including a woman -- with a combined bounty of Rs 12 lakh on their heads -- laid down arms before the Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police Ankit Goyal, an official said here on Wednesday.
They are: Suman R. Mattami, 34, alias Madhuri alias Bhuri, and Sitaram B. Atram, 63, alias Ramsing, with both having a reward of Rs 6 lakhs each for their scalps.
Madhuri was recruited in 2002 as a Maoist at the tender age of 14 with the Kasansur Local Organisation Squad (LOS) where she worked for 10 years, then joined the Bhamragad LOS and for the past 10 years was a Permili Area Committee Member.
She was directly involved with four murders, 21 encounter killings, seven cases of arson, five other offences and was among the most wanted Maoists in the region.
Ramsing was recruited as a Aheri LOS Member in 2005 and worked with several dalams, including as a Deputy Commander, and was last the Area Committee Member with Bhamragad technical dalam.
His track record shows involvement in one murder, one encounter and one other offence, but was part of the skirmishes with security forces in Kasampalli, Gundurwahi, Hikker, Aldandi and Asha-Nainguda.
During her surrender, Madhuri cited exploitation, discrimination, forcible marriage with other Maoists, no promotions and male colleagues running away during encounters with security forces leaving the women to handle the show.
Justifying his decision to lay down arms, Ramsing said that senior Maoists usurp all the monies that are collected through extortion rackets, the rebels exploit tribal youths, the Reds are fast losing support among the masses, married Maoists are not allowed to live independently, seniors order the junior cadres to kill civilians merely on suspicion of being an 'informer', and life in the jungles was very tough without security or even medical help available in emergencies.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Ankit Goyal said that now the surrendered duo will get the benefit of all government schemes to help Madhuri and Ramsing lead a normal life in the social mainstream.
In the past 30 months, at least 49 hardcore Maoists with crores of rupees rewards have given themselves up and are leading normal lives, and Goyal appealed to more wayward Maoists and misguided youths to surrender and join the social-national mainstream.