Malkangiri: Three cadres of the outlawed Maoist group, two males and a woman, laid down their arms before the police here on Thursday to join the mainstream responding to the appeals of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in this regard.
The surrendered Maoists are Manoj alias Mati Madhi, 24; Pandu Kabasi, 27; and Aite Karttami, 21. All three are residents of Daldali village under the Mathili police station of Malkangiri district. The Odisha government had announced a reward of Rs one lakh on the capture of each of these former extremists.
Following their surrender, Manoj, Pandu and Aite told the police that many Maoists in the region are disillusioned and are looking forward to an opportunity to surrender. They said that the establishment of many security camps in the surrounding area of Tulsi pahad has also led them to surrender since it has created a peaceful and secure environment in the area. Subsequent increased police operations and successes in interior areas and continuous fear of police action have also led to the curtailment of anti-national, anti-local, coercive actions of Maoists.
In an official release issued on Thursday, police said that the surrendered Maoists will be properly rehabilitated and will receive monetary assistance as per the Surrender and Rehabilitation Scheme of the Government of Odisha. They will also get financial assistance for building houses, pursuing studies and getting training in a trade/vocation of their will.
Meanwhile, the Malkangiri Police and Special Operation Group (SOG) recovered a huge cache of recovery and seizure of a huge cache of arms, ammunition, IEDs, IED-making materials, uniforms and other incriminating articles during a joint operation in the hilly and mixed forest area of Tulsi Pahad under the jurisdiction of Mathili police station during the last few days. It is suspected that these articles were intended to make a target to civilians and security forces.
The forces also succeeded in uncovering a major Maoist dump in the Jajbhata area (Tulsi Pahad) between village Kirmiti and Katuapadar under Kartanpalli G.P.
