Urban operative and ex-guard of top Naxal surrenders in C'garh

A woman Naxal with a reward of Rs 5 lakh on her head Saturday surrendered to police in Rajnandgaon district of Chhattisgarh, an official said.

Sarita alias Rekha Mandavi was active as an "urban operative" of the Maoists in Nagpur in neighbouring Maharashtra, Rajnandgaon Superintendent of Police Kamlochan Kashyap told PTI.

"She has been part of the Maoists' Maharashtra Madhya Pradesh Chhattisgarh (MMC) Zone led by its Central Committee member Dipak alias Milind Teltumbde. She worked as a guard of Teltumde till 2018. She has been involved in at least eight Naxal operations against the police," Kashyap said.

"She was later made a member of the coordination committee of the Naxal central committee and sent to Nagpur to work as an urban operative," the SP added.

He said Mandavi had told police that she was laying down arms as she was disappointed with the Naxal movement and exploitation of tribal cadre by senior Andhra Pradesh-based functionaries of the proscribed outfit.

Mandavi has been given Rs 10000 as "encouragement money" and will be assisted as per Chhattisgarh's Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy, the official said.