Kolkata: A most-wanted Maoist couple, identified as Mangal and Malati, surrendered before Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay K. Nand at the Lalbazar police headquarters on Friday. The pair, who were wanted in both West Bengal and neighbouring Jharkhand, also handed over an AK-47 and an INSAS rifle.
According to police, both are residents of West Bengal — Mangal hails from Salboni in West Midnapore, while Malati is from Gopiballabhpur in Jhargram district. Their operations, however, were largely confined to Jharkhand, with only occasional forays into West Bengal. Mangal first became active in the Dalma area and later in Saranda forests of Jharkhand. Malati joined the movement after him and her activities too remained mainly restricted to Jharkhand.
Police said Maoists began abandoning the Saranda forest area earlier this year under sustained pressure from security forces. Of the around 13 West Bengal Maoists on the security forces’ list, most have been arrested over time. Recently, three were arrested in Jharkhand, while another wanted leader, Pushpa, surrendered in Kolkata a few months ago. With Mangal and Malati’s surrender, that chapter has advanced further.
Authorities had announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh for Mangal and Rs 2 lakh for Malati.
Speaking after the surrender, Commissioner Ajay K. Nand said Mangal had joined the Maoist movement around 2010 and shifted to Jharkhand after 2011-12. He was known to be close to the late Maoist leader Koteshwar Rao, alias Kishenji, who was killed in a police encounter in November 2011.
Explaining their decision, Mangal told reporters that he had realised armed struggle could not bring about social change. “Both of us have decided to abandon the path of violence and return to the mainstream of society. That is why we came here and surrendered,” he said.
-IANS