Eleven Maoists and their 50 supporters surrendered before the police in Malkangiri district of Odisha on Friday while 15 tribal families, who had left their villages due to Maoist threat, were rehabilitated at Chitrakonda.
During the past one month, an increasing number of Maoists including armed cadres, militias and supporters have surrendered. The Maoists and their supporters who surrendered before Malkangiri Superintendent of Police (SP) Mitrabhanu Mohapatra on Friday were from remote Entaguda, Gumkaguda and Orelguda villages of Kalimela police station area.
On September 10, a large group of Maoists from Podia police station area, including 18 militants, six village committee members of Naxalites and 35 women, had surrendered and vowed not to have any links with the Maoist organisation in future. They had promised to return to mainstream and lead a normal life.
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Four Maoist militants and 40 supporters had surrendered on September 8. On August 31, around 120 Maoist supporters of Silakota village had surrendered before the SP. Speaking to newsmen in Berhampur on September 9, Odisha DGP Sanjiv Marik had said frustrated by large scale surrenders of cadres and militias as well as supporters snapping ties, the ultras were trying to terrorise the tribal families living in remote areas of Malkangiri district.
Meanwhile, the Maoists have compelled around 53 persons of 15 tribal families of Dhakadapadar village to leave along with their belongings and domestic animals. Around 60 families live at this village located in cut-off area of Balimela reservoir under Chitrakonda police station limits. The families that left the village alleged that they had been receiving threats from ultras. According to the Malkangiri SP, administration has made arrangements for their rehabilitation at Chitrakonda.