After spending eight-and-a-half years in detention at the Central Jail here as an undertrial facing 47 cases, Tambelu Kamala’s first priority is to get treated for her ailments.
The 35-year-old Kondh woman, a native of Revulakota of Koyyuru mandal, followed the Maoists at a young age and rose to become area committee member of the Pedabayalu area.
A reward of Rs. 5 lakh was declared on her head by the government at the time of her arrest on December 6, 2007, when she was booked in the first case at Chintapalli Police Station.
She was acquitted in the 47{+t}{+h}case on Tuesday by the court of Metropolitan Sessions Judge, which is the designated court of the district for Maoist cases.
“I am not well. I have diabetes, low BP, skin allergy, and swelling in the feet. First I have to get treated and I will go back to my parents, who are now living at Karaka near Narsipatnam,” a relieved Kamala told The Hindu at the residence of advocate and civil rights activist N.H. Akbar, who took up her cases.
She hopes there will not be any harassment either from the Maoists or the police.
“If I say no (to the party on joining back), they will understand,” Ms. Kamala hoped.
With no formal education, she learnt to read and write after joining the party to which she was attracted because of the songs the party members sang.
Mr. Akbar explained that in those days, when the police presence and combing were not as widespread or effective, senior leaders of the party used to stay for a week or more in a village and get acquainted with the locals.
Ms. Kamala first worked with the Nagulakonda area committee and then was shifted to the Pedabayalu area committee, which was then led by Ganesh.
She married a divisional committee member Jagan while in the party.
She was picked up by the Chintapalli police from her aunt’s house at Porlubanda on December 5, 2007, when she went there to get treated for severe jaundice.
Ms. Kamala says that she had been taken to Chintapalli and from there to Narsipatnam, and brought back to Chintapalli where the police put pressure on her to declare that she wanted to surrender.
When she did not, she was arrested, produced before the local MRO, and remanded to the Central Jail here.
She received treatment only after she was lodged in the jail.
