Hyderabad: Central Committee member and top Maoist Pothu Kalpana alias Sujatakka surrendered before the Telangana police, marking a major breakthrough in anti-Maoist operations. Sujatakka, a native of Penchikalapadu in Gadwal district, was the only woman in the Maoist central leadership.
She had been serving as in-charge of the South Sub-Zonal Bureau in Chhattisgarh and faced charges in 106 cases. Authorities had announced a reward of ₹1 crore for information leading to her arrest.
Telangana Director General of Police Jitender revealed that Sujatakka began her involvement through the Radical Students Union and Jana Natya Mandali. She became a commander in 1996 and was elevated to state committee rank by 2001. The DGP said she cited health reasons for leaving the outlawed outfit.
“We will provide her a reward of ₹25 lakh. We appeal to Maoists to return to the mainstream. Many are already doing so,” he stated.
According to the DGP, 78 people from Telangana still remain active in Maoist ranks. Among the 15 central committee members, 10 hail from Telangana. This year, 10 Maoists have died in encounters. Last year, the number was 22.
The Telangana Maoist wing currently includes 11 from Telangana and 62 from other states. The DGP added that the surrender process often takes time and does not occur overnight.
He also referred to ‘Operation Kagar’, stating that Maoists are now more inclined toward negotiations to avoid direct confrontation. However, earlier dialogue efforts yielded no results, he said.
