Malkangiri: Even as Maoists’ ‘Martyr’s Week’ is being observed, a Maoist couple Sunday surrendered before the superintendent of police (SP), Malkangiri, making it to be a major breakthrough for the police.
The surrendered ultras are Waga Urmani alias Mukesh and Mude Madhi alias Ratna. While the male cadre was carrying a reward of Rs 4 lakh on his head, the bounty for the female Maoist was Rs 1 lakh.
The couple was working in Naxal’s military platoons and was involved in about 40 Naxalite violence activities.
Both quit the CPI (Maoist) party due to the Gurupriya Bridge which facilitated establishment of Jantapayi camp of security forces and their frequent movement in the areas, police sources said.
Mukesh got disillusioned by the activities of fellow cadres like Dhanjaya Gope who is a womanizer and assaults people without any reason. Similarly, Ratna did not like the activities of Dhanjaya and left the group. The two were involved in several cases of murder, exchange of fire with police and blasting.
Both shall get monetary assistance as per the Surrender and Rehabilitation Scheme of the Government of Odisha and financial help for building house, pursuing studies and getting training in trade/vocation of their choice.
On the other hand, regardless of the State Government’s tight security in Naxal-affected Malkangiri and other areas during the ‘Shahid Saptah’, the rebels reportedly were successful in organising a camp at the border of Ralegada panchayat in Malkangiri and Korukunda of Andhra Pradesh with over 600 Maoist sympathisers and leader of nearby panchayats attending it.
During the camp which is said to have been organised by the Odisha-Andhra Border Zonal Committee of the Maoists, the Gurupriya Bridge that was recently inaugurated by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was opposed, alleging that it will hamper the interests of the tribals in the cut-off region in Malkangiri.
PNN