Phulbani (Odisha): Ten Maoists, including a state committee member with a Rs 55-lakh bounty, surrendered before the Kandhamal police on Wednesday.
The cadres laid down their arms and ammunition at a formal ceremony at the Reserve Police Ground in Phulbani, in the presence of senior officers of Odisha Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
Those who surrendered include Sanu Pottam alias Nitu, a state committee member of KKBN division, and Santaei Salam alias Anupa, a divisional committee member of the same division. Two area committee members, Laxmi Madvi alias Sangita and Sunil Telam, also gave themselves in, along with six party members identified as Manjula Punem alias Silpa, Rambati Oyam alias Jamuna, Ganesh Kunjam, Susila Dudi, Sarita Kuhudam and Chodi Yogi alias Rajni.
Additional director general of police (anti-Naxal operations) Sanjeeb Panda said the 10 cadres who surrendered are from Chhattisgarh, who gave up 10 firearms and other ammunition.
The senior cop informed that the Maoists carried a combined reward of Rs 1.15 crore.
Odisha’s Nabarangapur, Balangir, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nuapada and Boudh districts have already been declared Naxal-free, said Panda.
Now, the target is to make “the border areas of Kandhamal, Kalahandi and Rayagada districts Naxal-free. As many as 25 Maoists are believed to be operating in these areas. We would appeal to them to shun violence and join the mainstream of society.”
Last week, Union Home Amit Shah reiterated the Central government’s March 31 deadline to end Maoist violence in India.
