Bhubaneswar: In a major blow to the banned CPI (Maoist) organization, ten underground CPI (Maoist) Cadres surrendered before the Kandhamal Police renouncing violence and joining the mainstream.
During the surrender, the cadres also laid down arms, ammunition and other articles. The surrendered cadres formally renounced violence, severed all links with extremist activities, and opted to join the mainstream of society, expressing faith in the democratic process.
Surrendered CPI (Maoist) cadres have been identified as Sanu Pottam alias Nitu of State Committee Member of KKBN Division, Divisional Committee Member Santaei Salam alias Anupa of same division, Area Committee Member Laxmi Madvi alias Sangita, Area Committee Member Sunil Telam, party member Manjula Punem alias Silpa, party member Rambati Oyam aka Jamuna, party member Ganesh Kunjam, Party member Susila Dudi, party member Sarita Kuhudam and party member Chodi Yogi aka Rajni.
The Maoist surrendered in a programme organized by Odisha Police at the Reserve Police Ground in Phulbani. Present at the ceremony were Sanjeeb Panda, Additional Director General (ADG) of Police, Anti-Naxal Operations (ANO), DIG of SIW Akhileshvar Singh, South-Western Range DIG Neeti Shekhar, IG Operations Deepak Kumar, CRPF IG Amitendranath Sinha, DIG CRPF Dilip Singh, ASP Ramendra Prasad, Baliguda SDPO Bhosle Smaran Sanjay, and Kandhamal SP Harisha B.C.
Talking to media, Panda said, “10 Maoists including a state committee member, a divisional committee member, two area committee members and six party members surrendered before police. Hailing from Chhattisgarh, they surrendered 10 guns among other ammunitions. The Maoist cadres have carried the total compensation includes rewards of Rs 1.15 crore. As of now, Nabarangapur, Balangir, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nuapada and Boudh districts have become naxal-free. We have the target to make border areas of Kandhamal, Kalahandi and Rayagada districts naxal-free. As many as 25 Maoists reside in these areas. We would like appeal the rebels to shun violence and join mainstream of the society.”
