Maoist leader Suchitra Mahato surrenders

KOLKATA: Dreaded Maoist leader Suchitra Mahato surrendered at the state administrative headquarters of Writers' Buildings on Friday in presence of the chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

Suchitra wad beside Koteswar Rao, alias Kishenji when the latter was killed in a police encounter at Burishole forests in West Midnapore district on November 24 last year. She had also sustained a bullet injury, but managed to escape.

On Friday, Suchitra and her newly-wedded husband Prabir Garai appeared before the media along with the chief minister who had promised the couple to give all the rehabilitation package including immediate treatment to the top Maoist action squad member who had a bullet injury at her waist.

Whether asked whether she was arrested by the joint forces earlier, Suchitra told the media that "I was not arrested earlier and surrendering now because I don't want to work for the Maoists. I want to come back to the mainstream of life and responded to the chief minister's appeal to bid farewell to arms."

Suchitra and her husband claimed that they got married on February 25 this year and had been living in Dhanshola village under Lalgarh police station in West Midnapore district which is a part of Jangalmahal. Suchitra's former husband Sasadhar Mahato was also a dreaded Maoist action squad member and killed in an encounter during the regime of the previous Left Front government.