Ten Maoists, including a hardcore Naxalite couple, surrendered in Malkangiri district on Wednesday.
They surrendered at the Malkangiri district police headquarters. The surrendered Maoists, included three women cadres. All of them were from areas considered to be Maoist strongholds like Kalimela and cut off area of Balimela reservoir.
With increased area domination by the security forces involved in anti-Maoist operations, there has been continuing surrender of ultras in the district.
According to the anti-naxal cell of Malkangiri district for the past three months around 65 Maoists have parted ways with the violent organisation and surrendered before police.
The hardcore Maoist couple, who surrendered on Wednesday was Ramesh Madkami (25) and his wife Vijaya Hantal. As per Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), S. Subramaniam, at least 14 cases of Maoist violence were pending against Ramesh.
He was an area commander of Gumma cut off dalam of the Maoist organisation.
The other Maoists who surrendered were Dalima Khillo alias Karuna (21), who was involved in the Tentulipadar encounter of 2011, Nande Padiami alias Sujata (19), Deba Madkami (23), Soma Madkami (21), Dulla Madkami (21), Bhima Madkami (35), T Chittibabu (25) and Raju Hantala (29). They were also involved in incidents like exchange of fire with security forces, Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attacks, damages to mobile communication towers, extortion, arson etc.
According to senior police officials the major reason behind these surrenders was that the grassroot level ultras in Malkangiri district had started to realise that they were being misused by the Maoist leaders.
They had also started to find out that the leaders of the Maoist organisation were amassing much money through extortion while the grass root level cadres and their families languished in poverty.
They felt in case of encounter with police the senior cadres were using them as scapegoats and shields. Killing of 13 Maoists in an exchange of fire with security forces at Silakota in the district in September has also been a reason behind increase in surrenders in Malkangiri district.
The surrendered Maoists also added that they were being harassed and humiliated at the hands of Maoist leaders from outside the State.
According to Malkangiri district police sources, all the surrendered Maoists would be rehabilitated as per the norms of the government for surrendering naxalites.
