Fearing Covid-19, Maoist couple surrenders before Telangana police

Fearing the spread of coronavirus among Maoist cadre, a Maoist couple surrendered before the police in Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana on Saturday. Police said Surender, an area committee member of Manuguru LOS (local organisation squad) and his wife, a dalam member of Manuguru LOS, gave themselves up.

Both of them feared for their lives due to harassment by the Maoist leadership and also the spread of coronavirus among the cadre, the police said. The recent death of central committee member (CCM) Hari Bhushan and some others due to Covid-19 has put fear in the Maoists, said Bhadradri Kothagudem District Superintendent of Police Sunil Dutt.

Negligence and human rights violations of Maoist party cadre by central committee members and other senior party leaders were the reasons for the cadre to leave the banned outfit, according to the SP said. The senior police official appealed to all Maoists to surrender.

The police have said, "We will ensure their proper medical treatment and rehabilitation as per government policy."

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.

On Friday, landmines planted by the naxals to kill a police posse in Koppusuru forest area in Mulugu district were dug out safely and defused during a joint operation comprising the police and the CRPF.

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.