Thirteen militia members of the banned CPI (Maoist) from the Ginnelakota pocket of Pedabayalu surrendered before the Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) district police, here, on May 26 (Sunday).
The surrendered militia members were identified as Killo Simhadri (24), Vanthala Nagesh (38), Pangi Pilku Naidu, Killo Chiranjeevi (30), Vanthala Rambabu (28), Vanthala Donnu Babu (25), Ganta Mohan Rao (25), G. Panthula Padal (48), Manuguri Nagaraju (38), Chikkudu Ram Murthy (27), Chikkudu Ganesh alias Ganne Rao (25), Pangi Pulsu alias Tingu (29), Pangi Ramdas (28), all hailing from Ginnelakota and Jamiguda panchayats in Pedabayalu mandal.
Killo Simhadri had been working as a militia member since 2017, after his brother Killo Bheemudu, a member of the Azaad Maoist Party, was arrested. Killo Simhadri has 19 cases pending against him. Vanthala Nagesh joined the banned outfit in 2015 and has eight cases pending against him. The militia members helped the Left-wing extremists organise meetings, and supplied food. Some of them took part in the praja courts and were involved in arsons.
Addressing the media, ASR district Superintendent of Police Tuhin Sinha said that there was no proper leadership left for the Maoists in Pedabayalu area after the arrests and surrenders. The community welfare activities undertaken by the district police in the area also encouraging the Left-wing extremists to surrender.
After their surrender, the Maoists receive various benefits including land from the government as per norms, he said, adding that such initiatives were helping them lead a normal life.
