Maoist Duo, Including Woman, Surrender in Odisha

Two Maoist cadres from Chhattisgarh, including a woman carrying rewards on their heads, surrendered to Odisha police. The individuals, active in Gandhamardan Reserve Forest for years, cited the organization's loss of ideological commitment and rampant lawless activities as reasons for their surrender.

Two Maoist cadres from Chhattisgarh, one of them a woman, with bounties on their heads, have surrendered to the Odisha police at Bargarh.

According to police, the two Area Committee Members of the banned CPI(Maoist) had been operating in the Gandhamardan Reserve Forest for several years. They were identified as Amila alias Paro alias Puja Tati, aged 35, and Raghu alias Saitu Padam, aged 31.

Amila, who had a Rs 4 lakh bounty on her head, had been involved in Maoist activities in Bargarh and Balangir districts since 2010. Raghu, active since 2012, had a Rs 3 lakh reward on his head.

The duo cited the organization's shift from ideological commitment to lawless acts like extortion and attacks on civilians and security forces as their reason for surrendering.

Police quoted the surrendered Maoists, saying women cadres faced continuous physical, psychological, and sexual harassment. They also noted that observing extensive developmental activities in the area made them realize the futility of violence.

(With inputs from agencies.)