Nearly 18 months after CPI(Maoist) Central Committee member Ravula Srinivas died of ill-health, his son and Maoist leader Ravula Ranjith, alias Srikanth, 23, surrendered before the Telangana police on Wednesday.
Ranjith’s mother M. Savitri, also a Maoist leader who was in-charge of Kistaram Area Committee in neighbouring Chhattisgarh, is still working with the Maoists.
DGP M. Mahender Reddy, announcing the surrender of Ranjith and presenting him a demand draft for ₹4 lakh for rehabilitation, appealed to Maoist leaders to join the mainstream.
Ranjith was allegedly involved in four major attacks on security forces between 2018 and 2021 in which 58 personnel were killed. Ranjith told the police that the Maoist movement was on the decline.
Referring to COVID-19 cases among Maoists, Mr. Reddy said many of those affected lost their lives due to lack of timely treatment. They should quit their path and get treatment, he said.