Hyderabad: In a major blow to the Maoists, a wanted woman naxal, who allegedly masterminded deadly attacks against security forces and politicians, including the assassination of BJP MLA Bheema Mandavi in Dantewada and was underground for 26 years, was picked up along with her husband, also a Maoist, from Secunderabad by the Maharashtra police on Sunday.
The couple, Aluri Krishna Kumari alias Sujathakka alias Narmada, and her husband Kiran Kumar alias Kiran dada, is being interrogated at an undisclosed location in Maharashtra.
Both are state committee members and were to be promoted to the Central committee, sources said.
They carried rewards of Rs 20 lakh each. They were living in Hyderabad for six months and undergoing treatment for different ailments.
Highly-placed sources in the Maharashtra police told Deccan Chronicle that among Krishna Kumari, 60, who hails from Gudivada in Andhra Pradesh, is a major catch as she was the backbone of all major attacks — both planning and execution — in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.
“She is known for her ruthless guerilla warfare tactics and military precision strikes,” they said.
Kiran Kumar, 63, who belongs to Vijayawada, has been underground since 28 years. “Despite their age and ailments, both continued to be actively involved with Maoist activities and remained in constant touch with the top cadres in Dandakaranya,” they said. Sources said Krishna Kumari, who was also incharge of the Krantikari Adivasi Mahila Sangham (KAMS) under the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, had a key role to play in all operations in the region over many years.
“Together, they have 52 cases against them which include attacks on security forces, attacks on politicians including the recent attack on Dantewada BJP MLA Bheema Mandavi, who died along with five others after the naxals triggered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on his convoy on April 9,” sources said.
“Besides, she also played a role in planning the ambush in Gadchiroli which killed 15 policemen. We are interrogating them to ascertain their role in other attacks that have taken place on security forces in the last several years. Both Krishna Kumari and Kiran Kumar are a mine of information and it will take a few days to interrogate them,” sources said.
They said Kiran Kumar played an active role in the press, education and propaganda unit of the Maoists and was looking after Prabhath magazine and mostly operated in Chhattisgarh.
He was associated with the technical wing of the outlawed group.
While Krishna Kumari was suffering from breast cancer, Kiran Kumar had knee and back related ailments. They were undergoing treatment in different hospitals in Hyderabad.
