A Naxal couple, including a member of Maoist Military Platoon carrying cash reward of Rs 20,000 on his head surrendered before Superintendent of Police, Rajnandgaon Sanjiv Shukla on Thursday.
The couple was being forced by Naxal leaders to undergo sterilization and not have child while the duo wanted to live a normal family life, police claimed.
According to the police, the couple was not ready to undergo sterilization and hence decided to withdraw themselves from the Naxal organisation.
Sandeep alias Mahendra Kerame (26), resident of Ambagarh Chowki and his wife Sheela alias lata Gota (20) native of Gadhchirolli, Maharashtra have rested their arms.
Sandeep was an active member of Military Platoon number 56 of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) and was associated with movement in Gadchiroli region of Maharashtra.
He had joined Maoist cadre in 2010 and was deputed as the gunman of an area committee secretary of North Gadchiroli Gondia Division of Naxal Pahad Singh, SP Sanjeev Shukla informed, adding, later he was elevated as a member of Military Platoon number 56 active in Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border.
In the same way Sheela, a native of Gyarahpatti village in Gadchiroli had joined the Maoist outfit in 2011 and was included into Military Platoon number 56 in the same year, he said.
Working together, both fell in love and eventually got married with the permission of their senior cadres. However, when they decided to have children, the senior cadres objected to their move and forced them to undego sterilisation.
Shukla claimed that Maoist couple told police that increasing pressure of security forces in the region was another reason behind the surrender. They had fled from a Naxal camp in Konde village forests of Maharashtra on May 18 and surrendered on Thursday before Rajnandgaon police, he added.
The SP Rajnandgaon had declared cash reward of Rs 15,000 on his arrest while DIG Rajnandgaon had declared reward of Rs 5,000 on his head. They will be given assistance as per rehabilitation policy of Chhattisgarh Government, SP told the media persons here.