Three Left wing extremists, including one commander of the Local Operational Squad (LOS) and another Area Committee Member (ACM) belonging to the banned CPI (Maoist), laid down arms before the Odisha police on Sunday.
After serving two decades in the banned outfit, Sabita Podiami returned to the mainstream when she surrendered before Director General of Police Abhay at Malkangiri on Sunday. She was commander of the Palachalam LOS of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) of the Maoist.
Influenced by Ramanna, then secretary of the Kalimela Dalam of DKSZC, she joined the Maoists in 2000.
One month training
According to the Odisha police, she had received one month training under the guidance of Maoist trainer Loknath (Divisional Committee member).
Subsequently, she was transferred to the Kistaram LOS of the South Bastar Division in Chhattisgarh in 2001. In 2005, she was promoted to the rank of ACM and started carrying a .303 rifle. In 2010, she was entrusted as Palachalam LOS commander and was given an INSAS rifle.
During long years in the CPI (Maoist), Sabita had participated in several exchanges of fire, ambushes and arsons, mostly in Chhattisgarh. She reportedly disclosed before the police that the COVID-19 pandemic had hit Maoists hard and many cadres were suffering and dying from COVID-19 without getting proper medical treatment.
According to the police, though she was suffering from poor health for a long time, the senior Maoist commanders were opposed to her plea of surrender.
Along with Sabita, Raidhar Dhurua, a primary member of the Mahuapadar LOS, also laid down arms before the DGP. Dhurua, a native of Malkangiri, had also participated in many exchanges of fire and ambushes. He had been in the CPI (Maoist) since 2017.
Many surrenders
In the past two years more than 20 active Maoist cadres and many Maoist sympathisers have surrendered in Malkangiri district.
In the neighbouring Koraput district, Talse Huika, who was working as ACM in the Boipariguda Area Committee under the Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC), also surrendered before the DGP. Huika had been in the organisation since 2012. She had joined the Maoists at the age of 13 as a member of the Jana Natya Mandali.
Subsequently, Huika rose through ranks and was armed with a .303 rifle by the party. She had worked as a party member in third central regional committee and Sadanala Ramakrishna (RK) Protection team up to 2015.
After getting promotion to the rank of ACM in the year 2015, she was armed with an INSAS rifle. Huika also worked as a member of Cut Off LOS under the Guma Area Committee up to May 2021. The woman cadre was active in different subversive works in Koraput and Malkangiri districts of Odisha and parts of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
She had escaped from exchange of fire that took place at Ramaguda under the Chitrakonda police station of Malkangiri in 2016 when 31 Maoists were killed.
“The leadership of the CPI (Maoist) is gradually losing hold over its cadre. Many top-rung cadre are ready to jump ship for a host of reasons. They want to lead a normal life. We appeal to them to be part of the mainstream,” said Mr. Abhay.
