A Maoist leader, Tombattu Lakshmi, who surrendered, has been provided a reward of one lakh rupees. On Sunday, when Lakshmi had surrendered herself to the authority, Udupi District Deputy Commissioner K Vidyakumari informed police that Lakshmi had entered into the Maoist list categorized in 'A' category.
One of the prominent Maoist leaders from Karnataka, Lakshmi, surrendered at the Udupi District headquarters. She was taken into police custody after surrendering to the authorities. Lakshmi hails from Kundapura Taluk and is originally from a remote village in Karnataka. She is said to have been actively involved in Maoist activities in the region for several years.
Authorities revealed that Lakshmi’s surrender follows a series of similar events, as other Maoist leaders in Karnataka have recently come forward to give up their illegal activities. This includes her husband, Saleem, who had surrendered to the Andhra Pradesh government four years ago.
Following Lakshmi’s surrender, government officials claim that no local individuals are involved in the Maoist movement in Karnataka anymore. In light of this, there is a request from the government to set up a special court for fast-tracking the trials of Maoist-related cases.
She said she was so moved to surrender that the media interaction with her revealed lack of basic amenities such as roads, drinking water, and healthcare facilities in her village. She wanted the government to provide for these and further claimed to have surrendered independently without any external pressure.
The authorities also confirmed that Lakshmi had been inactive in the Maoist movement for several years. Lakshmi has three ongoing cases in Udupi, including charges related to violence against the anti-Naxal force, assault, and distributing pamphlets in villages.
After the medical examination, Lakshmi will be produced in court. Investigations into the cases against her will continue, and she is likely to remain in custody for the time being. The Deputy Commissioner said that Maoists in the 'A' category are entitled to receive compensation of one lakh rupees under the government's policy upon surrender.