Bhubaneswar: As many as 15 hardcore Maoists, including high-profile state committee members Niranjan Rout alias Nikhil and his wife Rashmita Lenka alias Indu, surrendered before Odisha Police at a special function in Rayagada.
Voluntarily laying down their arms, the Maoists handed over the weapons to Additional Director General of Police (Anti-Naxal Operations) Sanjeeb Panda.
Nikhil and Indu carried a bounty of Rs 55 lakh each.
“The 15 Maoists include two state committee members, one divisional committee member, five area committee members and eight party members. Together they were carrying reward of Rs 1.98 crore,” said Odisha Police.
The 14 surrendered weapons were two AK 47 rifles, five SLRs, one INSAS, one sten gun, one .303, four single shots and huge quantity of ammunition.
The 15-member group was from BGN (Bans
hadhara, Ghuman, Nagabali) division, and was operating in Rayagada, Kandhamal, Gajapati and Kalahandi districts, police informed.
Four other Maoists gave themselves in to the police in Kandhamal on Friday.
Nikhil, who joined the Maoist organisation in 2004, was active in BGN since 2008. Following the killing of Central committee member Ganesh Uike in Kandhamal last December, Nikhil was the highest-ranking Maoist in Odisha.
“The surrender of 15 Maoists reflects the steadily weakening influence of left-wing extremist ideology in the region and the growing trust of misguided youth in the government’s development-oriented and people-centric approach. The sustained operation by SOG, DVF, CRPF, BSF has eroded the base of Maoists,” the ADG stated.
All those who surrendered will be extended benefits under the state government’s Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy, including financial assistance, vocational training and skill development to help them reintegrate into society with dignity.
Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Koraput and Boudh districts have become completely Naxal-free, according to Odisha Police.