Phulbani: Two hardcore Maoists operating under the Kalahandi-Kandhamal-BoudhNayagarh (KKBN) Division of CPI (Maoist) surrendered before the Odisha DGP at Kandhamal Thursday. Police identified the two Maoists as Ranjit Naitam (Area Committee Member) and Unga Poyam (Party Member) of Mahanadi Area Committee. The surrendered Maoist cadres are of Chhattisgarh origin and were the members of 8th Company of CPI (Maoist) and tasked to reactivate the NorthSouth corridor from Jharkhand to Chhattisgarh through South Central Odisha. They were working in CPI (Maoist) organisation since 2017 and were involved in several violent incidents both in Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
Sources said the two Maoists were in touch with the SP, Boudh for quite some time to surrender and live a normal life. The Maoists said they were disturbed and frustrated by the continuous unethical activities in Maoist organisation like sexual harassment of female cadres, extortion of funds through intimidation, and induction of young boys and girls in the organisation by false promise and propaganda. They were disillusioned by the high-handed activities and rude behaviour of senior leaders towards the lower ranked cadres. They were attracted by the policies of the government for the development and upliftment of the tribal people. Boudh SP assured them that they would be suitably rehabilitated under the Surrender and Rehabilitation Scheme of the government, which extends financial assistance, homestead land, house-building assistance, education assistance, and vocational training with a monthly stipend. While welcoming the two surrendered Maoist cadres to mainstream society, the DGP appealed to the Maoists to shun violence and join the mainstream.