Woman Naxal carrying Rs 5 lakh reward surrenders in Andhra

A woman Naxal commander, carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh on her head, turned herself in before senior police officers here on Tuesday.

“Shanigarapu Uma alias Anitha, who was carrying reward of Rs 5 lakh, surrendered voluntarily this evening. She has nearly 35 offences registered against her in Warangal district”, said SP A Venkateshwar Rao.

Anitha is the wife of Gajerla Ashok, alias Janardhan, who is the Maharashtra state incharge of military wing in Gadchiroli division (Maoist), he said.

The SP said Anitha had joined rebels in 1997 and started working as the ‘doctors team commander’ in the organisation.

She had been arrested on two occasions in the past.

“When Ashok was working in Chhattishgarh, she went there and was given one.303 rifle by the dalam. At that time, she was trained in medical treatment and got promoted to the rank of commander gradually. Anitha then went on to form the medical team and used to give treatment to the injured or sick comrades”, he said.

Anitha handed over the weapon to the dalam while working in west Bastar due to ill-health and returned to her native Devannapet village in Hasanparthy mandal of Warangal district, the SP added.

“Anitha, with the help of her relatives, surrendered to police and also handed over to them a sten gun she was in possession with”, the officer said.

–Agencies