Maoist woman squad member surrenders

KOLKATA - A woman squad member of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) active in West Bengal’s West Midnapore district surrendered Friday, the second Leftwing rebel to do so in as many days, police said.

Sobha Mandi is the second Maoist cadre and the first woman in the state to surrender after the state government put in place its revamped surrender policy.

Shobhan Karak alias Bijoy was the first rebel to lay down arms by responding to the rehabilitation package of the government. West Midnapore Superintendent of Police Manoj Verma said: “Sobha Mandi surrendered this evening (Friday) around 7 p.m. in my office in Midnapore town.”

Shobha Mandi, alias Uma, alias Shikha, 23, was a Maoist area commander operating in Jhargram and turned a fugitive four months ago. A few days back she sent a communication to police expressing her wish to surrender.

“The Maoists have committed the same injustices against which they claimed they were fighting. So I have decided to surrender and get back to normal life,” said Sobha, who had commanded a squad of 20-30 members after being recruited into the rebel ranks seven years back.

Sobha, who hails from Khoyerpur near Sarenga in Bankura district, also urged other women squad members to give up Maoism and surrender to the police.