Malkangiri, Nov 9: On Tuesday, 94 Maoists sympathizers including three women surrendered before the police in the Malkangiri district, sixteen days after the recent Odisha and Andhar Pradesh police joint operation at the cut off area Chitrakonda block of the district where 27 cadre Maoists were killed during encounter.
Malkangiri SP Mitrabhanu Mohapatra addressed the media persons and said that of the 94 Maoist sympathizers that surrendered, 25 are Maoist militia and 6 are village committee members. The 94 Maoists sympathizers belong from Sudhakonda and Rajalkonda villages of Kalimela block in the district, he added.
He further said that the decision to surrender was taken by these Maoist sympathizers as the Red Rebels have drifted from the Mao ideology and are indulged in the brutal practice of torturing innocent tribals.
He also said that efforts will be made to rehabilitate those who have surrendered under the surrender rehabilitation policy of the Odisha government and the police will take lenient view of the cases registered against them.
Notably, 24 Maoists were killed in an encounter that took place near Panasput village in the cut-off area of the district on October 24. Three bodies were later recovered by the police from the area.
