RANCHI: Wanted Maoist zonal commander Maharaj Pramanik on Friday surrendered before Jharkhand Police in Ranchi.
According to police officials, Pramanik is accused in more than 120 cases of loot, extortion, murder and levy collection lodged in different police stations of Ranchi, Khunti, Chaibasa, Saraikela-Kharsawan and other districts of Jharkhand.
IG (Operations) A V Homkar, Zonal IG Pankaj Khamboj, and senior officials of CRPF were present during the occasion.
Police said that he was one of the key members of the Chandil-Bundu zone of the extremist outfit and also served as their key spokesperson for several years. Pramanik, who studied at Chandil College till 2007-08, hailed from Ichagarh in Seraikela-Kharsawan district, they said.
Pramanik joined the CPI (Maoists) in 2008-09 and since then remained a key member of the outfit mostly active in the Kolhan region.
Police officials also claimed that Pramanik was an active member of the squad of Central Committee Member Anal Da and is said to be the backbone of his firing squad, due to which, he was awarded the post of Zonal Commander. Several cops were killed during the Maoist incidents executed by Pramanik and his squad.
IG (Operations) and Jharkhand Police Spokesperson AV Homkar termed his surrender a great achievement for Jharkhand Police.
“Surrender of Maoist Zonal Commander Maharaj Pramanik is really a great achievement for Jharkhand Police. He has admitted that there is no ideology left with the Maoist leaders and their activities are limited only to levy collection and making more and more money by misleading the villagers,” said Homkar.
Gradually, Maoist cadres are also getting disillusioned with the organization, he added.
Maharaj Pramanik has been accused of the killing of several policemen. On June 14, 2019, a Maoist squad led by Maharaj Pramanik attacked police forces at Kukuruhat in Seraikela killing five policemen. His squad was also accused of killing three policemen in the IED blast at Lanji in March 2021. NIA was also looking for Maharaj Pramanik along with the State Police.
Notably, Maoist spokesperson Ashok had issued a statement last year, saying that Maharaj had come out of the organization three times before July 2021 on the pretext of treatment. During that period, he came in contact with the police. When the organization got to know about this, he left the organization and ran away with Rs 40 lakh cash and an AK-47 rifle along with 150 rounds of ammunition and a pistol on August 14.
Pramanik, however, said that he decided to surrender after getting impressed with the surrender policy of the State Government. “I would like to appeal to the Maoist cadres that they should also come forward and surrender and get into the mainstream,” said Pramanik. After leaving the organization on August 14, 2021, he was wandering here and there before getting in touch with the police, he added.
Pramanik further added that he rose to the rank of zonal commander in about a year after he came in touch with another dreaded Maoist Kundan Pahan (now surrendered).
Pramanik told police that he came into contact with CPI (Maoist) group in 2008 in a bid to save his mother from the criminals. His mother worked as an Anganwadi worker. Due to some dispute related to civil works in the village, a gang of criminals tried to kill her by attacking her house. Since her mother wasn’t at home at that time, she got saved. Thereafter, Pramanik pleaded before everyone for help but no one came forward. Meanwhile, he came in contact with some members of the Maoist squad, who promised him to help and encouraged him to join the organization.