Four Maoists surrender in Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad: Four Maoists including a husband-wife and another couple on Wednesday surrendered before the police in Andhra Pradesh`s Prakasam and Khammam districts.

Maoists - Arun and his companion Uma - eloped and came out of the dalam and surrendered before the police today, Khammam District Superintendent of Police S V Ranganath said over phone. Arun, carrying Rs 4 lakh on his head, was working for the past nine years with Special Guerilla Squad of Maoists, which is also considered to the rank of Area Committee Member (ACM), the SP said, adding that Uma was carrying a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh. "We have called upon North Telangana Zonal Committee (operating in Andhra-Chhattisgarh border) members to lay down arms and join mainstream life. All the welfare measures promised by the government to the surrendered Naxals will be extended to enable them to lead a decent life," he said. Besides, a husband-wife couple Beersingh alias Mahesh alias Bhagat Singh and his wife Nagireddy Lakshmi Devi, who were presently living in Madhya Pradesh along with their children, surrendered before Markapur police in Prakasam district today, a police official said. Beersingh, from MP, was a deputy commander in PWG while Lakshmi, native of Ardhaveedu mandal of Prakasam, was involved in Naxal activities earlier (during 2003 and 2006) in Prakasam and Mahabubnagar districts. The duo shifted to MP after escaping during an encounter and stayed away from the organisation, the senior police official said. "Beersingh and Lakshmi decided to surrender before police in view of their health problems and also for education of their children," the official said. PTI