By DC Correspondent

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Visakhapatnam: A senior CPI (Maoist) leader voluntarily surrendered before Superintendent of Police Amit Bardar of the Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) district on Monday. The surrendered member has been identified as Dirido Deva, 34, an area committee member of the banned CPI (Maoist) from Sukma district, Chhattisgarh.Dirido Deva entered into Maoism at the age of 14 in 2001, when he was influenced by senior Maoist leaders Bejji ACM and LOS Commander Vetti Rama. Over the years, he progressed through various positions, like membership in the Children’s Wing (Balala Sangham) and DAKMS, eventually rising to become an area committee member. He also served as a platoon commander and action team member and worked as an instructor, training new recruits in guerrilla warfare tactics. At the time of his surrender, he was functioning as the Konta area committee member and was reportedly an expert in manufacturing and deploying improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and booby traps. According to police records, Deva was involved in several violent incidents, including two murder cases and 13 exchange-of-fire incidents with security forces. He was also implicated in attacks on infrastructure development, including two incidents of burning road construction machinery and multiple instances of planting IEDs targeting security personnel. Besides, he was involved in concealing explosives, revolutionary literature, and other Maoist materials in forest areas across several villages. ASR SP Amit Bardar, after the surrender, emphasised the importance of rehabilitation and reintegration of former Maoists into mainstream society. He assured that all benefits under government policy would be provided in a timely manner and urged surrendered individuals to utilise government welfare schemes for their development and that of their families.