[Watch] Maoist With Rs 5 Lakh Reward Surrenders Before Police In Odisha’s Kalahandi

Kalahandi: A Maoist, Laxman Apka (Lalsu/Laxman) surrendered before the police here on Sunday. Lalsu was listed as most-wanted and carrying a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head.

He was the Area Committee Secretary of Kalahandi Area Committee, BGN Division of Odisha State Committee of CPI (Maoist). He surrendered in the presence of DIG (SWR) Koraput, Rajesh Pandit, SP Dr Saravana Vivek and CRPF Commandant Biplab Sarkar.

Lalsu had joined the banned outfit in 2009. After being in Ganglor Dalam of the organisation in Chattisgarh for about one year, he came to Niyamagiri LOS in 2011. Since then he is operating as insurgent in Odisha. He was operating in Karlapat in 2014 as Area Committee Member and later promoted to ACS (Area Committee Secretary). He was an active member carrying SLR gun and promoting ideology of Maoists, the police said.

He was involved in at least five encounters with the police between 2016 and 2020. These encounters occurred at Manaska, Barangpadar, Turkey, Kotalghati and Sohespadar, stated a release by Kalahandi police.

Lalsu will be provided with financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh as per the Government of Odisha Surrender and Rehabilitation policy.

“He was disillusioned with the Maoists ideology because of the ill treatment to lower rank cadres, ill treatment of women cadres and most importantly injustices meted out to tribal people. He understood Maoists are killing innocent people and were against developmental works of administration like roads, bridges, schools and hospitals,” a senior police official said.

Lalsu will be given livelihood training so that he can get gainful employment and rehabilitated duly as per the surrender and rehabilitation policy of the State Government which includes homestead land, expense of building house, marriage allowance, and study allowance of Rs 3,000 per month besides financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh.