Police strategies to curb Maoist movement yield fruits

Khammam: The strategies adopted by police to make Maoists surrender and join the mainstream social life and its credible rehabilitation policy is showing positive results, as the number of rebels giving up the violent movement is on the rise for the last few months.

The left wing extremist organisation has been witnessing a conflict between the tribal and non-tribal leadership, and the dominance of leaders from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana had been a contentious issue for quite some time.

A Maoist, Sodi Nandhu, who worked with senior Maoist Sikhudev, surrendered to Bhadrachalam police on August 2, 2017. Similarly, another Maoist leader Medakam Devaiah (28), who was entrusted with the task of supervising Revolutionary People's Committee (RPC) of Veerapuram, Bakkachinthalapadu, Puligundala and Kondavai, surrendered to the Police on October 05, 2017.

Further, two Maoists, including a woman, identified as Doddi Nandu and Sode Mooki, who worked as Bijapur District Committee members surrendered to Charla police on October 30, 2017. Another key member of CPI Maoist Ravinder alias Vinod had surrendered to the police in Eturunagaram on October 31, 2017. He was a member of the weapon’s wing and an expert in designing weapons.

The regular crackdown by the police forces had also been one of the factors. Implementation of developmental activities in the left-wing extremism-affected areas by the government has also proved to be another major factor.

The police, in a bid to make Maoists join the mainstream, have made efforts to show them the good side of the life if they leave the movement. Families of rebels are being approached and convinced of the benefits of surrendering, along with incentives. The amount given to a surrendered Maoist is also enhanced. Simultaneously, a monthly stipend of some amount is also fixed for a period of two to three years until rehabilitation is provided.

Pamphlets are distributed in villages showing happy faces of those who surrendered along with those pictures of rebels who have been killed in part of police operation. A police officer, on condition of animosity said, “Surrender of more number of rebels indicate the fatigue setting in the Maoist group and if more rebels lay down arms in coming up days, it’ll be huge a setback for the Maoist organisations, since the number of surrenders in comparison to previous years is significantly on the rise.”

“A large number of Maoists and sympathisers who intend to give up violence can surrender before the police without any fear,” he added. Meanwhile, the Maoist movement received a huge blow with the surrender of outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist, Jinugu Narasimha Reddy alias Jampanna. The party is currently going through a tough phase in the country as per the party’s admission in recent documents.

The surrendered rebels alleged that the Maoist party’s inability to bring ideological change within the outfit in accordance with the changes which have been taking place in the society was the main cause for their surrender.

The Communist Party of India (Maoist) had made a statement after the surrender of Jampanna. It said the leaders who suffered from serious weakness, limitations and trends like individualism, bureaucracy and false prestige were surrendering to police and accusing of disagreements on the ideologies of the party.

It is also said that the party would continue to strive for the revolution irrespective of hurdles they were facing, including the surrender of senior leaders and their sympathisers.