Fearing COVID-19, Maoist couple surrenders before Telangana police

Telangana police have appealed to all Maoists to surrender amid the pandemic, stating that they will ensure proper medical treatment and rehabilitation as per government policy.
Representative image of Maoists holding guns and flags
Representative image of Maoists holding guns and flags
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Fearing the spread of coronavirus among Maoist cadres, a Maoist-couple surrendered before the police in Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana on June 26. Police said Surender, an area committee member of Manuguru LOS (local organisation squad) and his wife, a dalam (troop) member of Manuguru LOS, gave themselves up. Both of them feared for their lives due to alleged harassment by the Maoist leadership and also the spread of coronavirus among the cadre, the police claimed.

Surender and his wife, both aged 23, were working for the banned CPI (Maoist) party since 2018 and 2016 respectively and were currently working as guards to Azad, Telangana State committee member, the police said. Earlier on June 24, the CPI (Maoist) issued a statement to the media confirming the death of the outfit’s central committee member, Yapa Narayana alias Haribhushan and Indravati Area Committee member Siddaboina Sarakka alias Bharatakka. Both of them had contracted COVID-19, according to the statement. Three days after Haribhushan’s death on June 21, his wife Bejjeri Sammakka alias Saradakka also succumbed to COVID-19, Hindustan Times reported. 

The deaths of Hari Bhushan and others due to COVID-19 has caused fear among the Maoists, said Bhadradri Kothagudem District Superintendent of Police Sunil Dutt. Negligence and human rights violations of Maoist party cadres by central committee members and other senior party leaders were the reasons for the cadre to leave the banned outfit, the SP claimed. The senior police official appealed to all Maoists to surrender. The police have said that they will ensure proper medical treatment and rehabilitation as per government policy.

On June 26, landmines allegedly planted by the naxals to attack a police posse in Koppunuru forest area in Mulugu district were dug out safely and defused during a joint operation comprising the police and the CRPF, authorities said. The operation was carried out based on information that Maoist leaders Bade Chokka Rao alias Damodar and other senior leaders of Telangana State Committee of CPI (Maoist) party, dalam members and militia had planted the landmines, the police said. Explosives and accessories used for making landmines, including detonators, black slurry (explosive), electrical wire, small bolts and tiffin boxes were seized from the spot and a case was registered, the police added.

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