Post News Network
Malkangiri, Feb 13: In a major breakthrough in anti-insurgency operations, four Maoists were arrested Thursday while four others surrendered before the police the next day in this district.
Jawans of the 39th battalion of BSF led by commandant DN Singh arrested four ultras including two women and a minor girl from a house at Kurumpali under Mathili block. Weapons and other items were seized from their
possession.
The Maoists were identified as Sambari Madkami (30), Parvati Madkami (17), Admi Madkami (30) and Mangala Madkami (30), all residents of Kurumpali village.
The seizure included a rifle, a set of bow and arrows, a photo album, voter identity cards, clutch wires of motorcycles, Maoist journals and a large stock of medicines.
According to reports, the jawans were tipped-off about the ultras when they were conducting a combing operation inside a forest near the village. Acting on the information, the jawans surrounded the suspected house. The Maoists tried to flee the spot but failed in their attempt, BSF sources said.
In another significant development, four hardcore Maoists including three women involved in many incidents of violence and carrying rewards on their heads, surrendered before the police Friday. Expressing their desire to give up arms and join the social mainstream, the four surrendered in the presence of IG of Police (South-West range) YK Jethwa here.
Jethwa said two of the ultras were of the rank of assistant commandants while two others belonged to the arms cadre. The ultras were involved in several Maoist offensives including murder and landmine explosions, he added.
The two assistant commandants are Manglu Padiami of Kalimela committee under Malkangiri division of the Maoists and Rami Madhi alias Anita, a member of the first central regional committee. Both carried a cash reward of `4 lakh each, Jethwa said.
The other two ultras were identified as Ganji alias Sangita and Kunjam Raje alias Gita, who were carrying a cash reward of `1 lakh each, Jethwa added.
Surrender of the four hardcore
naxals, who were active for the last
several years, has come as a major blow to the left wing extremists in the region, Malkangiri superintendent of police (SP) Mitrabhanu Mohapatra said. Police said there was a clash of interest among the Telugu and Oriya Maoist cadres of the region.
The four were cheated by the
guerrillas of Andhra Pradesh over their remuneration, police said quoting the surrendered ultras.