Police searching weapons disposed of by surrenders Maoists, says G Parameshwara

The home minister slammed BJP’s comment that the government’s efforts to search for weapons are not on par with the intent shown to secure, surrender and rehabilitate the Maoists.

Bengaluru: Home Minister G Parameshwara on Friday said that the police are searching for the weapons believed to have been disposed of in the forest by the six Maoists who surrendered before the chief minister on Thursday. 

He was speaking to the reporters on Friday morning near his house in central Bengaluru’s Sadashivanagar. 

He slammed the BJP’s comment that the government’s efforts to search for weapons are not on par with the intent shown to secure, surrender and rehabilitate the Maoists. He said that the police were combing the forest to locate and recover the weapons. "They keep making such claims. The government will do its job. We may need to gather information from the Maoists about where the weapons were hidden and seek their assistance. There are procedures, and they will be followed," Parameshwara said.

The six surrendered Maoists include-- Mundagaru Latha from Sringeri, Vanajakshi Balehole from Kalasa, Sundari Kutluru from Dakshina Kannada, Mareppa Aroli from Raichur, Vasantha K from Vellore, Tamil Nadu, and N Jeesha from Wayanad, Kerala. 

The home minister said that as per the information they have, the Maoists who surrendered on Thursday were the last of the remaining batch, barring Ravindra, who was expelled from their group, but the reason still remain unknown, "Investigations are on,” Parameshwara said, adding that the police will keep vigil on the individuals (suspected naxals) entering the state from other states. 

When asked about Vikram Gowda's (Maoist killed in an encounter in November, 2024) family seeking compensation in light of the package being provided to surrendered Maoists, Parameshwara said, "It will be verified. The two cases are different."