Women grab Maoist reins

Hyderabad, July 17: Women leaders are dominating the Andhra-Orissa Border committee squads of the Maoists. As per the documents of the CPI (Maoist), most of the local organising squads of the Andhra-Orissa Border Special Zonal Committee are now led by the woman leaders.

They were also suspected to be behind the mass attacks in Chintapalli area in Visakapatnam and the blasting of power utilities. The AOB is divided into Malkangiri division, mostly falling in Orissa, east division comprising East Godavari and Visakapatnam, and Srikakulam division that comprises Srika-kulam and Vizianagaram.

Kakarala Suneeta alias Smruthi is the divisional committee member of Malkanagiri, Madhavi and Veni alias Shanti are the members of Srikakulam and Sabitha alias Bhanu is a member of Basadar division under Orissa State committee. Nagavalli Area Committee is totally dominated by women with Bhavani as area committee secretary and Sujata and Sumitra as area committee members. Kondabaridi LOS-2 is led by commander Santhi and three out of seven members are women. The deputy commander of Kondabaridi LOS-1 is Padma. A senior police officer said that women had come to the forefront after many top male leaders were gunned down. "They are not fresh recruits," he said. "Exigencies have brought them forward."

Maoists have formed a mahila co-ordination committee and are encouraging women in the movement.� After the Congress government took over, at least 60 women Maoists including 54 Maoists were killed in encounters.

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