Top Maoist surrenders before Telangana police

According to police, Ranjith, after the death of his father, realised the futility of continuing in the outlawed Maoist outfit. He was attracted by the provisions of comprehensive surrender and rehabilitation policies of the Telangana government and decided to leave the party to join the mainstream and lead a better life, they said.

Hyderabad: A platoon party committee member of the banned CPI (Maoist) party operating in Chhattisgarh surrendered before the Telangana police here on Wednesday, police said.

Ravula Ranjith alias Srikanth, aged 23, joined CPI (Maoist) battalion in November 2017 and is the son of a maoist couple, state Director General of Police M Mahendar Reddy said.

Ranjith participated in four brutal attacks on security forces and one ambush in addition to several other incidents, the DGP said.

Ranjith's father Ravula Srinivas was a central committee member and secretary of the Dandakaranya special zonal committee (DKSZC), while his mother is a divisional committee member (DVCM).

'He faced a lot of humiliation in the party after the demise of his father,' Reddy said, adding the party refused to give permission for his surrender, though he had informed his mother of his surrender.

According to police, Ranjith, after the death of his father, realised the futility of continuing in the outlawed Maoist outfit. He was attracted by the provisions of comprehensive surrender and rehabilitation policies of the Telangana government and decided to leave the party to join the mainstream and lead a better life, they said.

As per the information given by Ranjith several Maoist party cadres were infected with coronavirus, though he did not specify how many had contracted the disease, police said.

In view of the pandemic, the top cop further appealed to all Maoist party leaders and members to surrender, avail medical facilities and join the mainstream and benefit from the rehabilitation programme.

Reddy said of the 25 central committee members (CCM)--11 are from Telangana and three from Andhra Pradesh.

The DGP further said there were no Maoist activities in Telangana and that there were around120 members of the Telangana State Committee who are staying in Chhattisgarh.

He said they had stepped up all preventive measures in coordination with the CRPF in the inter-state borders of Telangana to restrict the movement of the Maoists into Telangana.

Reacting to a query, the Telangana police chief said they had information that the Maoists had been using children from the bordering villages of Chhattisgarh and Telangana to carry luggage, for cooking and other work.

'The children are expected to go to schools, but instead of allowing them to go to schools, the Maoists were using them (for this sort of work). By doing this, the Maoists were doing great disservice to children,' Reddy added.

PTI