Bhubaneswar: Three years after becoming a
Maoist due to 'harassment' by her step-mother, a woman ultra
on Tuesday surrendered before the police in Keonjhar district
accusing her seniors of physical torture.
The ultra, Jayanti Mahanta of Galada village under Telkoi
block, had joined the Maoist outfit in 2008 when she was a
ninth standard student following lucrative promises by rebel
leaders, Keonjhar SP Asish Kumar Singh said.
While surrendering, she told reporters that she was
imparted training in handling firearms, bombs and other
explosives in Andhra Pradesh. She was involved in a number of
offences, including attack on Similipal forest beat house in
Mayurbhanj district, police said.
Jayanti said she had become a Maoist as she was fed up
with the harassment by her step-mother but later got
disillusioned because of physical torture by her seniors. Most
women and girls in Maoist cadre were subjected to physical
torture and harassment, she claimed.
In another development, a Maoist was arrested in
Chandrapur area of Rayagada district.
Identified as Fakira Kiritinga (35), the ultra was
involved in several crimes including two murders and blasting
of mobile towers, police said.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, July 26, 2011, 19:20