GADCHIROLI: In a significant achievement for security forces, dreaded and most wanted woman Maoist active in the Gadchiroli region and carrying a bounty of Rs 6 lakh on her head, surrendered before the Maharashtra Police, officials said on Wednesday.

Anju Asaram Aachala, 30, also known by various aliases like Shashikala, Guni, Zuri, was the Area Committee Member of Tipagad area in the Maoist-infested district of eastern Maharashtra.

At a public function, she laid down her arms before to police officials led by Superintendent of Police Ankit Goyal, Maneesh Kalwaniya, Sameer Shaikh, Somay Munde and others who felicitated her with bouqets on her return to the social mainstream.

This is the second woman Maoist who discarded arms and gave herself up to the police in the past five days in the state. On June 18, Savitha Ajay Narothi, 20, who carries a reward of Rs 2 lakh, had surrendered to the state authorities after spending several years of violence in the wilderness.

Anju, who turned a new leaf on Wednesday, had 20 serious crimes lodged against her and over many years, was personally involved in 15 encounters with the security forces, one arson and four other serious cases, said SP Goyal.

With this, as many as 39 Maoists have already returned to the fold from 2019 till date, including four Divisional Committee Members, two Dalam Commanders, three Department Commanders, 29 Dalam members and a Jan Militia Member, proving a feather in the cap of the security forces.

An official said that fed up with the bloody life in the jungles, "many Maoists are getting attracted by the state government's Surrender Policy with several more of the rebels planning to quit warfare" and return to the national mainstream soon.

Constant pressure is built up on the rebel groups by enhanced vigil, combing operations, anti-Maoist ops, while simultaneously, police organise Janjagran Melawas (public awareness gathering), Rozgar Melawa, Women Melawa, Grambhet (Village Visit) in which senior officers visit the homes of relatives of Maoists who can be persuaded to abdicate violence.

While Goyal assured all help and cooperation to the surrendered Maoists to lead normal life, he warned that stringent action would be taken against all those rebels who will try to disrupt the development process in the district.