CPI (Maoist) leader surrenders before Odisha police

The surrendered Maoist said he was disillusioned in the extremists’ outfit

A member of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) surrendered before the Odisha police and laid down his arms here on Sunday.

The CPI (Maoist) cadre, identified as Lalsu alias Laxman, was the area committee secretary of Kalahandi Area Committee, Banshadhara Ghumsur Nagabali Division of Odisha State Committee. Lalsu was carrying a reward of ₹5 lakh and surrendered before Rajesh Pandit, Deputy Inspector General of Police (South-west Range) Koraput and Kalahandi Superintendent of Police Saravana Vivek M as well as Biplab Sarkar, Commandant CRPF at Bhawanipatna.

According to the police, Lalsu had joined the CPI (Maoist) in 2009. After working with Ganglor Dalam of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) in Chattisgarh for about one year, he came to Niyamagiri of Odisha in 2011.

“Since then he had been operating as an insurgent in Odisha. He was operating in Karlapat in 2014 as the area committee member. He was later promoted to ACS (area committee secretary). He is an active member carrying SLR gun and promoting ideology of Maoists,” said Mr. Saravana.

He was involved in five major exchange of fires between left wing extremism group and the security forces from 2016 to 2020. The surrendered Maoist said he was disillusioned in the extremists’ outfit.

According to t he Kalahandi police, Lalsu would be rehabilitated as per the surrender and rehabilitation policy of the State government. He will be provided financial assistance of ₹5 lakh, besides homestead land, house building assistance, marriage allowance and study allowance of ₹3,000.