12 more ‘Maoists’ surrender in Odisha

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Koraput, June 8:

Twelve  persons,  identified as Maoists by the police,  surrendered before the SP of Koraput district in Odisha today.

Koraput SP Awinash Kumar said “These men, who worked as the local militia, helped the activities of the Maoists in the area.Apart from organising village level meetings they used to build networks for the outlawed organisation”.

All the surrendered Maoists who expressed their desire to return to the mainstream, were associated with Srikakulam-Koraput divisional committee under Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) and hailed from Narayanpatna area in Koraput district, police said.

With today’s surrender by 12 people,  as many as 33 Maoists have surrendered in Koraput district since January 2014, police sources said.

Interestingly, most of these surrendered ‘Maoists’ are from Narayanpatna which has been a Maoist stronghold. The surrenders are being seen as a fall out of the gradual alienation of the local militant outfit Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangh (CMAS) led by Nachika Linga from the red rebels.

There are reports that the CMAS leader Nachika is all set to return to the mainstream but waiting for positive signals from the state government that their basic demands including land rights of the local tribal people and a complete ban on liquor.

Police, meanwhile, have issued appeals to all Maoists and their associates to shun violence and join the mainstream or face stern action in the coming days, the sources added.