120 Maoist supporters surrender in Malkangiri in Odisha

Malkangiri: In continuing spate of surrenders, more than 120 Maoist supporters, including 16 from militia groups and six village committee members, surrendered before the police in Odisha's naxal-hit Malkangiri district on Thursday.

The residents of Perubai village decided to surrender as they were unhappy over lack of development work in the area due to unabated violence by Maoists, Malkangiri Superintendent of Police Mitrabhanu Mohapatra said today.

Describing the development as a positive sign in the naxal hot bed, the SP said it showed more and more Ultras and their supporters are now keen to return to the social mainstream as they were fed up with violence.

Many of those who surrendered stated that the red rebels had garnered support by giving false promise but their real character came to the fore in due course. Moreover, development works in the entire region had got derailed because of constant violence, they said.

The development came close on the heels of surrender of about 150 maoist supporters including four members of the militia group and two village committee members from Gumkaguda and Intaguda villages under Kalimela police station before the SP here on Tuesday.

Similarly, over 100 naxal supporters from Silakota under padia block had surrendered before police on August 31.