Extremist surrenders before police

Warangal, Andhra Pradesh, Sep 5 (UNI) CPI (Maoist) extremist and member of Bijapur-Danthewada Division Committee and ACS of Pamedu area of Bijapur district of Chattisgadh State, Bashapaka Yakaiah alias Santosh today voluntarily surrendered before the Superintendent of Police, Warangal.

Yakaiah was involved in clashes with police at Andugulumeedhi of Venkatapur Mandal and at National Park area in 2005 and also at Pamedu area in November 2005. He attacked a sentry of Central prison, Danthewada, and escaped after collecting weapons from Bell-of-Arms.

Yakaiah joined the party in 2002 at the insistence of Gajarala Ramesh alias Navin, Jangaon Area Committee Secretary. In 2003, he was promoted to the rank of Dy.Commander and by the end of the year he elevated to the rank of Commander, according to a press statement here.

In 2005 Yakaiah sustained bullet injury to his left hand in a clash with Police at National Park area. He was being treated at Hyderabad and while taking shelter in a rented room at Khammam proper, he along with other two associates, were arrested by Khammam Police and handed over to judicial Kunta Police of Chhattisgarh.

They were later remanded to judicial custody at Central Prison, Jagdalpur.

He was transferred to Danthewada Prison, where he was lodged for about 7 months, along with about 100 Maoist sympathisers/militants.

During this period, he, along with one Masa and two others staunch followers of CPI (Maoist) hatched a plan to escape from the prison.

On December 16, 2007, as part of their plan he collected chilly powder and threw into the eyes of sentry and forcibly snatched his weapon, keys of Bell-of-Arms and lockers and fled threatening remaining prison staff.

About 200 other prisoners also escaped and with the assistance of local militants and sympathisers they met at Bairangadh dalam.

Vexed with party ideology and underground life, Yakaiah decided to surrender in 2008.

UNI BR SLD HS2237