As many as 33 militia and village committee members of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) organisation turned themselves in before the Superintendent of Police Sunil Dutt en masse in Kothagudem on Monday afternoon.
They belong to two interior villages — Battinapalli and Kistarampadu in Charla mandal of Telangana’s tribal heartland of Bhadrachalam division bordering Chhattisgarh, police said.
Addressing a joint press conference with Commandant, CRPF 141 Battalion, Bhadrachalam, Hari Om Khare, in Kothagudem late on Monday afternoon, Mr Sunil Dutt said the 33 militia and village committee members of the banned organisation had been working for the CPI (Maoist) Charla Area Committee headed by Aruna for the past two years.
Some of these militia members were involved in the recent incidents of road blasting at Peddamidisileru, planting of landmines at Kaliveru and torching of a road roller and a JCB machine at Tippapuram village in Charla mandal, the SP said.
They surrendered en masse with a desire to shun the path of violence and lead a normal life, he said, adding that the constant efforts by the police to wean away the “misguided persons” from extremism led to their surrender.
Those who want to quit the Maoist outfit and lead a better life can approach me directly or the nearest police station through their relatives, the SP said, renewing his appeal to the rebels to surrender with their weapons and join the mainstream in the interests of the public and development of the tribal areas.
