Hyderabad:
For more than a decade and a half, top Naxal leader Sambasividu was a terror for the police force in Andhra Pradesh and was reportedly involved in several murders and attacks on police stations.
On Monday, Sambasividu surrendered before the state home minister, claiming he did not actually lead a violent life.
Sambasavidu the man who plotted to assassinate Chandrababu Naidu near Tirupati in October 2003 says he does not believe he indulged in any violence in the 16 years that he spent with the Naxal movement.
The dreaded Maoist cited ill-health as the reason for quitting the Maoist outfit.
",I don't believe we indulged in any violence. We wanted to bring about a change in society and that's what we were working for and that's what the party is striving for as well,", said Sambasavidu, surrendered Maoist.
The Home Minister says they would deal with the surrendered Maoist sympathetically.
",We have said that we will take a humanitarian approach towards surrendered naxals and legal cases and issues will go on,'' said Jana Reddy, Home Minister, AP.
Sambasavidu carried a reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head and as state committee secretary of the Maoist party is perhaps the highest ranking Maoist to surrender.
Sambasividu's surrender severely cripples the already battered Naxal movement in Andhra Pradesh, having lost a number of top leaders in the last two years.
On Monday, Sambasividu surrendered before the state home minister, claiming he did not actually lead a violent life.
Sambasavidu the man who plotted to assassinate Chandrababu Naidu near Tirupati in October 2003 says he does not believe he indulged in any violence in the 16 years that he spent with the Naxal movement.
The dreaded Maoist cited ill-health as the reason for quitting the Maoist outfit.
",I don't believe we indulged in any violence. We wanted to bring about a change in society and that's what we were working for and that's what the party is striving for as well,", said Sambasavidu, surrendered Maoist.
The Home Minister says they would deal with the surrendered Maoist sympathetically.
",We have said that we will take a humanitarian approach towards surrendered naxals and legal cases and issues will go on,'' said Jana Reddy, Home Minister, AP.
Sambasavidu carried a reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head and as state committee secretary of the Maoist party is perhaps the highest ranking Maoist to surrender.
Sambasividu's surrender severely cripples the already battered Naxal movement in Andhra Pradesh, having lost a number of top leaders in the last two years.
