Udupi, Feb. 2 -- Lakshmi, said to be the last Naxalite in Karnataka, unconditionally surrendered on Sunday in front of Udupi Deputy Commissioner Vidya Kumari and Superintendent of Police Arun K.
According to police, Lakshmi, who had been hiding in Andhra Pradesh, has had three cases against her in the Udupi district. These cases date back to 2007-2008, and they pertain to the exchange of fire with police, assault, and pushing Maoist literature in villages and small towns. She was accompanied by the State Naxal Surrender Committee member Sripal and her husband Salim, a former Naxalite who had surrendered in 2020 in Andhra Pradesh.
After severing her connection with her family 15 years ago, Lakshmi had gone underground and was active in pushing the Naxalite agenda in Chikkamagaluru and Udupi districts. "I tried to get in touch with the district officials and wanted to surrender after the Karnataka government had announced the surrender protocol and package, but it had not happened for some reason. Now that the surrender committee was formed, my surrender has been facilitated," Lakshmi told journalists after her surrender.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.