Shillong: High-ranking Maoist leader Shakuntala Mahato, also known as Pushpa, surrendered to the Kolkata Police at their Lalbazar headquarters on Wednesday. A zonal committee member of the CPI (Maoist) with a 10 lakh rupee bounty on her head, she arrived at the station to hand over her arms and 46 rounds of ammunition.
Originally from Mechua village in West Bengal, Mahato had been a prominent figure in the militant group since she was ten years old. She operated under multiple aliases throughout her career, including Pari, Barsha, and Lutun. During her time in the movement, she worked closely with senior commanders, including Kishanji, and participated in key activities like the Lalgarh movement. She later married fellow area commander Atul Mahato in 2005.
Mahato eventually fled the Saranda forest in Jharkhand after joint security forces conducted operations against the group. As the government intensified efforts to curb Naxalite activity, she chose to end her involvement in the insurgency. Upon her surrender, she expressed a desire for her former comrades to follow suit. She stated, "Those of our party who are still isolated should try to return to the mainstream. The current government is doing a lot of good work. It is good for everyone to give up arms and join the development."
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