Gadchiroli (Maharashtra), Feb 20 (IANS): In a swoop in Hyderabad, the Maharashtra Police has arrested two dreaded Maoists - a husband-wife couple - who were absconding from the law for the past 17 years, an official said here on Monday.

They are Madhukar Chinanna Kodape, alias Thuge, 42, and his wife Jamani Mangalu Punam, alias Shamala, 35, said Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police Neelotpal.

Hailing from Aheri here, Thuge had joined the Sironcha dalam in 2002, and later was the commander in Jimalgata and Sironcha Local Organisation Squads (LOS).

With 25 serious cases like 9 murders, 8 encounters, 4 arsons, 2 dacoities, attempt to murder and others, Thuge went absconding around 2006 and Maharashtra government had announced a reward of Rs 8 lakh for his capture.

Belonging to Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, Shamala worked for the Aheri LOS as a member and had 9 serious offences of 1 murder, 5 encounters, arson, dacoity, etc. and carried a prize of Rs 2 lakh on her head.

As per the Maharashtra Police investigations, the fugitive Thuge-Shamala couple had reportedly quit the Maoist movement and had been moving from place to place in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to avoid detection.

The Gadchiroli police was tracking them for over a year and finally found Thuge working as a watchman and Shamala serving in a car showroom's housekeeping, under fake identities.

Zeroing on their location in Hyderabad, a Gadchiroli police team swooped on them early this morning and arrested them.

With this latest success, the Gadchiroli police said it has succeeded in arresting 64 hardcore Maoists from different parts in the past 13 months since January 2022, even as SP Neelotpal appealed to the rebels to give up arms and return to the social mainstream.