WHEN Giridhar and his wife Janaki had surrendered before Devendra Fadnavis, then Deputy Chief Minister (now Chief Minister) of Maharashtra, in June 2024, they accepted with respect a copy of the Constitution of India. It symbolised their fresh start into a society that believed in the Constitutional values. Sitting in the courtyard of a building in Gadchiroli, both recall their old days and feel contented about having left ‘that’ world of Left Wing Extremism. When ‘The Hitavada’ asked them about why the Naxalites or the Maoists raised black flags on the Republic Day, which is a festival of adoption of the Constitution of India by its citizens, Giridhar and Janaki glanced at each other, and Giridhar replied, “Maoists eulogise Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar but do not fully subscribe to the Constitution, which he was the architect of. At the behest of the CPI (Maoist), I also opposed it when I was in the Maoist fold. But, I have firm belief in certain values in the Constitution.” Nangsu Manku Tumretti alias Giridhar alias Bicchu, a resident of Jaweli Khurd in Etapalli tehsil of Gadchiroli district, was the In-charge of unified (North plus South) Gadchiroli Division, when he surrendered. By that time, he had served as Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) Member as well as Member of Sub-Military Commission and Commander-in-Chief of Western Sub-Zone of the CPI (Maoist).

 

His wife Lalita Chaitu Usendi alias Sangeeta alias Janaki, a resident of Dhobeguda in Etapalli tehsil of Gadchiroli district, was Divisional Committee Member of Bhamragad Dalam of the banned organisation, at the time of her surrender. Giridhar’s revelation regarding the Left Wing Extremists’ stand about the Constitution of India exposes them. Asked which aspects of the Constitution the Maoists were mainly opposed to, Giridhar said that they were opposed to Parliamentary elections, democratic systems, and also held that it was a symbol of a ‘false independence’. According to him, the Maoists wish to bring their own version of ‘New Democratic System’ wherein all the values in the Constitution of India may not find a place. But, are the Maoists in a position to achieve that? To this question, Giridhar replied in a matter-of-factly manner, “The Maoist party is losing support base. Government has become stronger and the party is weaker now. Maoist ideology may not end, but the armed Maoism may end by 2026 or 2027.

 

Further, if development happens properly, ‘Kranti’ (revolution) will become irrelevant.” According to him, the Government has been ushering in development in remote areas of the country, and has created an atmosphere arousing aspirations among the people. This change in situation is a major reason behind Giridhar’s surrender. Explaining what made her take the decision to surrender, Lalita said, “Central Government forces are surrounding Maoist base of ‘Maad’ (Abhujhmad) and are determined to wipe out Maoism by 2026. This concerted action left us with only two choices -- surrender or get killed in encounter. We chose surrender.” A school dropout after studying up to Std 5, Giridhar joined the People’s War Group of Naxalites as he was impressed by speeches of then Naxal leader Joganna, and also ‘revolutionary songs’ presented by cultural troupes of the outlaws. Lalita joined the Naxalites because she felt provoked by the ‘revolutionary songs’ of Naxalites about ‘lack of freedom and dignity to women’. “Some youth from urban areas of Maharashtra had definitely joined some 10 years ago. They mostly worked in Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh belt,” Giridhar replied to a question.

 

Asked if he met some ‘urban Maoists’, Giridhar replied some might have come from urban areas and some might have been arrested too, but feigned ignorance if they were ‘urban Maoists’. Rather, people from rural areas are moving towards cities and not joining the Maoist party, he added. Maoism, as an ideology, may be there in urban areas in certain farmers’ agitations or popular agitations but it is growing weaker, he observed in a composed manner. The couple does not have any children. But, they wish to utilise the compensation they get under Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy of the Maharashtra Government for the education and welfare of his brother’s sons. Giridhar’s surrender has proved to be instrumental for Gadchiroli Police, as it was followed by several Maoist cadres laying down arms. He was held in high regard by the younger armed outlaws since he was a man behind several ‘actions’ and had also met two successive supreme commanders of CPI (Maoist) -- Ganapathy and Basavraj -- as well as next top leaders Deoji who is in-charge of Central Military Commission of the banned outfit, and Sonu alias Abhay who issues statements on national and international affairs. Many in Maoist fold treated Giridhar as their ‘hero’, and hence his surrender broke their morale. 

 

 

 Around 180 crimes were registered against Giridhar including 86 encounters, 15 arsons etc, and Maharashtra Government had announced a reward of Rs 25 lakh on him. Similarly, his wife Lalita carried a reward of Rs 16 lakh and had 18 crimes registered against her including seven encounters, one arson case etc. Now 44 years old, Giridhar had joined the Naxalites in 1997 as a Party Member in Etapalli Dalam. By September 2002, he rose to the rank of Bhamragarh Dalam Commander. In 2006, after the CPI (Maoist) came into being following merger of Peoples War and Maoist Communist Centre of India, he became Divisional Committee Member and then Deputy Commander in Company-4. In 2009, he became Commander of Company-4. In March 2013, he became Company Party Committee Secretary.

 

In November 2015, he rose to become DKSZC Member and Sub-Military Commission Member and Western Sub-Zonal Commander-in-Chief. In October 2020, Giridhar worked as South Gadchiroli Division Secretary. Following the Mardintola encounter of 2021, in which cops killed Central Committee member Milind Teltumbde, rattled Maoists of North and South Gadchiroli Divisions and made Giridhar Commander of unified Gadchiroli Division. All the Maoist activities in Gadchiroli were being executed under his supervision. His surrender dealt a major blow to the Maoists in Gadchiroli district as well as entire Central India. His wife Lalita had joined the Maoists in Kasansur Dalam and had moved in areas in Maharashtra as well as adjoining Chhattisgarh including Abujhmaad. She had also worked in Gariaband district of Odisha and was transferred to South Gadchiroli in Maharashtra in 2018, where she met Giridhar and both married a year later.