Rourkela: Three Maoists, including two hardcore ultras and a minor boy, surrendered before Rourkela police Monday.
They were identified as Sidharth Lohar, alias Bhima (28), a woman cadre, Phula Munda, alias Gurubari (19), and a minor. While Lohar was carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head, Munda was carrying a bounty of Rs 1 lakh.
“Both Lohar and Munda were involved in over 25 exchanges of fire between 2015 and 2016 near Kelo, Jamdar, Koilijhar and other areas in Orissa and also in Jharkhand,” Rourkela SP Anirudh Singh said. Both of them were involved in the Mahulpada exchange of fire with the police May 20, in which a camp was damaged by the security forces.
Lohar and Munda had joined the Maoist organisation in 2005 and 2015 respectively. Lohar, Munda and the minor belonged to Jharkhand, Chhotanagpur and Ranchi respectively. “Lohar was active in Sarnada, Kolhan, Podahat, Bundu and Tamar regions of Jharkhand and also in Sundargarh district of Orissa. Lohar was also active in Deogarh, Angul and Boudh districts,” the SP said.
He was part of the Sundargarh-Deogarh-Sambalpur division in the rank of district core member. “Lohar was working with top ultra Anmol alias Samrjee and Kunu Dehuri alias Ajay. Lohar was carrying a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head and undergoing psychological pressure in the outfit after his wife, a fellow Maoist, had surrendered in 2014, the SP said.
“Both of them were fed up the way the party was functioning and did not want to continue as they got disillusioned,” Singh said. The lady cadre Phula, who got enrolled in 2015, was part of the cultural team of the ultras.
“Senior cadres physically tortured her and she never received any salary from the party and was involved in exchange of fire with the security forces,” the SP said. The surrendered Maoists will receive financial assistance as per the suggestion of the screening team, the SP added.
Following busting of a Maoist camp in Mahulpada forest range May 20, the security forces Sunday recovered 30 gelatine sticks, 22 detonators and five meter wire. “This is a substantial seizure,” the SP said. PTI
