More than 500 Maoist supporters surrender before Police in Malkangiri district

Malkangiri, Aug 23: More than 500 Maoist supporters surrendered before the Odisha Police in Swabhiman Anchal of Malkangiri district yesterday. State DGP SK Bansal said, they also expressed their opposition towards the Maoist ideology by burning their dress.

"After surrender of 295 Maoists supporters before the police on June 11 another 500 of Ralegada GP surrendered before the Malkangiri Police & @BSF today. They were motivated by developmental works of the Odisha government," the DGP tweeted.

He said they were motivated by the developmental works of the Odisha government. Those surrendered include both men and women. They voluntarily came to a BSF camp in Janbai and surrendered before Odisha police in the presence of Malkangiri SP Nitesh Wadhwani and DIG, BSF, Malkangiri.

The militia includes both men and women who hail from Dabal Pahad, Ralegada, Chintalduli, Korrapalli, Tekpadar, Palankrayi, Tatipahad, Eskapalli, Sarukabandha, Durgam, Banajholi, Chikatpalli, Jajpalli, Gajalmamidi, Sitapalli villages in Ralegada gram panchayat area under the jurisdiction of Papermetla police station.

All these villages are located along the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border and was the erstwhile stronghold of Maoists, the police said.

Swabhiman Anchal has seen maximum violence over the last two decades. The police said that these Maoist supporters used to assist the Maoists in violent activities and were involved in killing of security forces, and civilians & were supplying all logistics to them.