Maoist, supporters surrender in Odisha’s Malkangiri

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Malkangiri, Aug 31:

A Maoist carrying cash reward on his head along with over a hundred sympathisers today surrendered before the district police in Odisha’s Malkangiri district.

The Red rebel identified as Mesha Muschhakki and over 100 villagers of Silakota village surrendered before Malkangiri police.

The 25-year-old was carrying Rs 1 lakh reward on him. Many cases, including murder, explosions and other violent acts, were registered against him in several police stations in the district. He was associated with Podia Dalam for over five years, police said.

The ultra surrendered before Malkangiri Collector D Prashant Kumar Reddy, SP Mitrabhanu Mohapatra in the presence of SDPO.

The Maoist sympathisers told the district administration officials that they were forced to help the members of the outlawed group out of fear.

“We were disillusioned and realised that the Maoists have deviated from their ideology. Rather, they are exploiting the poor tribals,” one of them said.

The Collector and SP welcomed their decision to join the mainstream.

“We assure that we would undertake development activities and make Silakota a model village,” Reddy said.

Quilts and T-shirts were distributed to the villagers, who surrendered before the police today.