Rayagada: A woman Maoist surrendered with her newborn baby in her hands here, Thursday. The woman, who surrendered at the police station here, carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh on her head. As she said, she was fed up the Reds’ “fake ideologies and gender discrimination.” The woman informed that she was abandoned after getting pregnant.
Pratibha alias Rinky (27) surrendered before Rayagada Superintendent of Police (SP) Saravana Vivek M at the district police headquarters.
Speaking on the matter, Rayagada SP said, “The woman Maoist surrendered at the CRPF Commander in my presence. She was fed up with the Maoists’ fake ideologies; subjugation of females and was abandoned after she got pregnant which really hit her.” She has also alleged harassment by fellow Maoists, the SP added.
Pratibha, a resident of Wacham in Bijapur district of neighbouring Chhattisgarh, joined the Maoists in 2011. She was a member of the Indravati Dalam, Basadhara-Ghumusara and Nagavalli border division of the Maoists. She was involved in several incidents of violence which included murders and encounters (two each), and several other attacks.
Pratibha was involved in Kadrakabandli shootout in 2013, 2014 Damnapanga encounter, 2016 Dangamati shootout, attack on a Special Operation Group (SOG) envoy near Jarapa in 2016, murder of a District Voluntary Force (DVF) jawan, murder of two civilians in Kalahandi district in July this year— one Rajendra Sahu of Pahapadar village and Bhima Dora of Babupadar village.
“Pratibha will be provided with a plot and necessary monetary assistance as per the rehabilitation scheme of the Odisha government,” concluded Rayagada SP.