The Maoist surrender continued in the Jangalmahal as another rebel cadre gave himself up before the Purulia police even as West Bengal police chief Naparajit Mukherjee affirmed on Sunday that the joint forces operation and peace talks would continue simultaneously.
Rabi Mandi, a teenaged action squad member, presented himself before the district superintendent of police Sunil Chaudhury at around 12.45 pm. The 18-year-old is the sixth Maoist to surrender in the past one month responding to Mamata Banerjee’s call. He had contacted the police recently expressing his wish to surrender.
Originally hailing from Bhangedih village in Balarampur, Rabi belonged to the Ayodhya squad and had several charges of murder against him. Last year, he participated in the murder of a ration dealer and two CPI(M) workers in the district. Mr Chaudhury said, “Rabi’s squad name was Singhroy. He has confessed his role in the encounter with the CoBRA at Bersa on September 19 this year.”
After his surrender Rabi said, “The Maoists had picked me up last year promising me food. When I wanted they did not give me food and even beat me up. I was trained in operating three-knot-three rifle and SLR. Instead of protecting the poor villagers and fighting for their cause, they killed them.”
In Birbhum, Mr Mukherjee informed that more Maoists would surrender in near future. “The rehabilitation package which the chief minister had announced for surrendering rebels is attractive. More rebels are going to surrender,” he said.
Asked if the joint forces’ operation against the ultras would be stopped amidst peace talks Mr Mukherjee explained, “Why will the operation be withdrawn? Operation and peace talks will continue together. This is the government’s policy which has already been announced.”
Meanwhile, a leader of the Maoist-backed People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities Nirmal Mahato was arrested in West Midnapore on Saturday night. He was allegedly involved in the attack on the Rajdhani Express on October 27, 2009 and a murder of a local CPI(M) leader.
On Sunday, Nirmal was produced before the Midnapore court which remanded him in five days’ police custody.