Gadchiroli, Oct 7 (IANS) A most-wanted and hardcore woman Maoist – carrying a Rs 11 lakh reward on her head – surrendered before the Maharashtra Police, a top official said here on Saturday.

The accused is identified as Rajani alias Kalawati S. Veladi, 28, from Bijapur in Chhattisgarh, said Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police Neelotpal.

Barely aged 14, Rajani had joined the Red terror groups in 2009 and worked for a year with Farsegadh LOS before she was transferred to Orchha LOS till 2013.

After getting a ‘promotion’ as ACM, she worked in the National Park Area Doctor Team for two years and then was assigned the Sandra LOS in 2015 where she served in Chhattisgarh, till her surrender with the Maharashtra Police, said Neelotpal.

According to the police, Rajani was involved in a forest encounter with security forces in Gundam (2015), an ambush-cum-encounter near Bejji in which 12 jawans were martyred (2017), two more gun-battles with police in 2018-2019 in Marewada and Boramajji, all in Chhattisgarh.

Rajani is also charged with burning a government bus (2018), and a murder (2020), arson and other crimes in Chhattisgarh state, and she carried a total reward of Rs 11 lakh on her head, comprising Rs 6 lakh by Maharashtra and Rs 5 lakh by Chhattisgarh state.

SP Neelotpal said that Rajani has cited various reasons for her decision to surrender including exploitation of poor tribals by the senior Maoist leaders, discrimination against women, extortion, no independent life for married Dalam cadres, anti-Maoist operations made their lives difficult, women abandoned by the male cadres or even killed during encounters, no medical help, etc.

As per the Maharashtra government’s rehab policy, Rajani will be entitled to a compensation of Rs 4.50 lakh and other benefits to enable her rejoin the social and democratic mainstream, said Neelotpal.

In Rajani’s prime 'catch', Maharashtra has notched a total of 586 surrenders by active, hardcore, wanted and notorious Maoists till date.