Gadchiroli (Maharashtra), Aug 21 : A dreaded woman Maoist carrying a reward of Rs 6 lakh on her head and having a long list of serious crimes against her in Odisha and Chhattisgarh, has laid down arms before the Maharashtra Police, an official said here on Wednesday.

She has been identified as Sangita Pusu Podadi, 40, hailing from Laheri village in Gadchiroli, said the district Superintendent of Police, Neelotpal.

Sangita turned a rebel in 2007 and joined as a member of Naibared local organisation squad (LOS) in Chhattisgarh, was transferred to Kohakameta LOS in 2008 for three years and then posted to Mahasamund LOS where she was promoted as ACM in 2014 and served in that position till her surrender on Wednesday.

In the past over 17 years, she built up a notorious reputation in Odisha and Chhattisgarh with brutal murders, brazen police encounters, and arson in both the states.

She was wanted for three murders in Odisha, including the Sarpanch of Bhartonda village (2012), and two others in 2015 and 2017 in Bargarh district.

Later, she was part of direct gun-wars with the SOG and Bargad Police in Gandhamardan and Khandizaran forests of Odisha (2015, 2022 and 2024).

In Chhattisgarh, she was involved in two gunbattles with security forces with Narayanpur Police in Akibeda and Basing forests (2008), exchange of fire with CRPF in Mahasamund (2010 and 2012), and torching several vehicles on Krishnar-Sonepur Road in Chhattisgarh.

Following her notorious reputation, the Maharashtra government had announced a reward of Rs 6 lakh for Sangita's scalp, till she decided to give up before the top security officials like Sandip Patil, Ankit Goyal, Ajay Kumar Sharma and Dao Enjirkan Kindo, said Neelotpal.

Post-surrender, she will be entitled to a reward of Rs 4.5 lakh from the state and centre towards her rehabilitation, and called upon other wayward rebels to surrender themselves.

Neelotpal said that from 2022 onwards, 24 hardcore Maoists including several women, have laid down arms before the police and taken advantage of the state's policies to lead a respectable life in the national mainstream.

/IANS