Chikkamagaluru:  In the presence of the members of a state-level committee and Shantigaagi Nagarika Vedike, two Maoist leaders from Sringeri taluk, actively involved with the Maoist movement for more than a decade, surrendered before the district authorities on Monday Dec 8.

The surrender, in response to the State government’s naxal surrender and rehabilitation initiative, the district administration took the duo into custody and initiated legal proceedings. “As decided by the State-level committee, the two have surrendered to the district administration. We have taken them into custody according to law. The court will decide the next course of action,” Deputy Commissioner (DC) B S Shekarappa and Superintendent of Police R Chetan said in a joint statement.

The process of recording the self-declaration of the duo went on till 6 pm at the DC’s office. Since a number of cases are pending against the two surrendered Maoists at the Sringeri and Koppa taluk police stations, they will be produced in court in either of the two taluks, the DC said.

The duo had been underground since 2005. On Monday, they arrived at the traveller’s bungalow here at 1.50 pm by car, accompanied by Prof V S Sridhar. Members of the State-level committee for naxal surrender, rehabilitation package/joining mainstream of society, freedom fighter H S Doreswamy and journalist Gowri Lankesh were present there. With this move, the duo bid goodbye to their more than a decade long life in hiding.

Later, the committee members along with representatives of the Vedike and other progressive organisations handed over the Maoist leaders to the district administration.

As soon as they arrived, Doreswamy garlanded the duo, while CPM State secretary G N Nagaraj and other leaders hugged them, betraying the joy of reuniting with long-lost comrades.

Sirimane Nagaraj’s wife Hemalatha Shenoy and daughter Mallige, along with relatives and friends, were eagerly waiting at the traveller’s bungalow since morning. After meeting and shaking hands with members of the social movement, Nagaraj gave his wife and daughter a tight embrace. Though no relative of Noor Zulfikar had come, his collegemates and associates were present in large numbers.