Date:01/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/01/stories/2008050152070300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

‘Youth should not follow our steps’

Staff Reporter

ADILABAD: The loud hooter of a train passing by could not drown the impassioned plea for surrender made by parents of underground naxalites at a ‘surrender mela’ organised by Adilabad police at the police parade grounds on Wednesday. Bittu Rangubai, mother of Bittu Seenu a Maoist cadre working in Dandakaranya forests, Chennur Shantha, elder sister of Arepalli Krishna, an extremist with 20 years of experience and others wailed for their kin to opt for surrender.

Batti Rajanna alias Prabhakar formerly commander of Indervelli dalam, Soyam Anasuyabai who worked in Sironcha and Aheri of Gadhchiroli district in Maharashtra and Kumram Gnaneshwar alias Yadav, a past deputy commander of Mangi dalam talked about why they preferred the path of surrender. “Finally,” they said, “it turned out that we lost precious too much in life just by believing in the rhetoric of Maoists. The youth should not follow our steps.” Distributing cheques, direct to home television sets, and clothing to the surrendered extremists and parents of those still active underground, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Karimnagar Range, N. Chandramouli said the government was considering proposals to withdraw cases against surrendered extremists. Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar appealed to active cadres to surrender.