Kolkata, Oct 23 — A most-wanted Maoist couple -- identified as Mangal and Malati -- wanted in both West Bengal and neighbouring Jharkhand -- surrendered before Ajay K. Nand, Commissioner of Kolkata police headquarters, Lalbazar, on Friday, officials said.
During the surrender, they also handed over an AK-47 rifle and an INSAS rifle to the police.
According to police, both Mangal and Malati are residents of West Bengal. Mangal hails from Salboni of West Midnapore, while Malati is from Gopiballabhpur in the Jhargram district.
However, their Maoist operations were mainly restricted to Jharkhand, and very occasionally they ventured into West Bengal. Mangal was first involved in Maoist activities in the Dalma area and later in Saranda, both in Jharkhand.
Malati joined left-wing extremism after Mangal, and almost since the beginning, her role was restricted mainly to Jharkhand.
According to the police, the Maoists started leaving the Saranda forest area in Jharkhand earlier this year due to constant pressure from the security forces, as it became difficult for them to operate.
There were about 13 Maoists from West Bengal on the list of the security forces. They were arrested over time.
Recently, three Maoists were arrested in Jharkhand, while another wanted Maoist leader, Pushpa, surrendered in Kolkata a few months ago. Now, Mangal and Malti also surrendered to the Kolkata Police.
Authorities had announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh for Mangal and Rs 2 lakh for Malati.
Speaking to reporters after the surrender, Ajay K. Nand, the Kolkata police chief, said Mangal had joined the Maoist movement around 2010 and later moved to Jharkhand after 2011-12. He was known to be close to late Maoist leader Koteshwar Rao alias Kishenji, who was killed in a police encounter in November 2011.
Explaining the decision to surrender, Mangal said he had realised that armed struggle could not bring about social change. “Both of us have decided to abandon the path of violence and return to the mainstream of society. That is why we came here and surrendered,” he said.