An alleged committee member of the banned CPI (Maoist), wanted in 23 cases in Jharkhand and carrying a ₹15-lakh bounty, was arrested from Bhangar by the special task force of Kolkata Police on Tuesday.
Police identified the woman as Sradhha Biswas, alias Bela.
Biswas, 60, is originally from Chakdah in Nadia. She was part of the Maoist leader Misir Besra’s gang, police said.
She has been booked under sections of the anti-terror law and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Calcutta police commissioner Ajay Nand said she has been active in Giridih and East and West Singbhum districts of Jharkhand since 2006.
“Bengal Police had earlier arrested her in 2004-2005 from Belpahari. She fled to Jharkhand after obtaining bail,” Nand said.
Asked if she was visiting Bengal to “regroup”, Nand said “no” and added that she was unwell.
Surender
Madhai Patra, a CPI (Maoist) zonal committee member originally from Jangipara in Hooghly district, surrendered before Kolkata Police on Tuesday.
He was first arrested in 2007 in Bengal, and he then fled to Jharkhand, the police said.
“He was a prominent leader. Now, he has decided to surrender and return to the mainstream,” Nand told reporters.
He will be covered under the state government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy, Nand added.
Patra told journalists that the ideology which had once drawn him to CPI (Maoist) had gradually changed. “A lot has changed, including the world outside. I now want to return to the mainstream. I also appeal to my colleagues to lay down arms and surrender,” he said.
However, he added that his “in-charge”, Misir Besra, was “not yet ready” to come back.