Odisha: Ten Maoists including three women surrender before police

Malkangiri (Odisha): Ten Maoists, including three women, surrendered before the police in Malkangiri district on Wednesday alleging humiliation and torture by senior cadre. Among those who surrendered were hardcore Maoist Ramesh Madkami (25), who was involved in 14 criminal cases and his wife Vijaya Hantala, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Shiba Subramaniam told reporters.  The other ultras who surrendered have been identified as Dalima Khillo alias Karuna (21), Nande Padiami alias Sujata (19), Deba Madkami (23), Soma Madkami (21), Dulla Madkami (21), Bhima Madkami (35), T Chittibabu (25) and Raju Hantala (29), he said. Most of the red rebels, who belong to Kalimela and cut-off areas of Malkangiri district, were involved in several incidents like attack on security forces, landmine explosions, blasts, ambush and extortions, the SDPO said. The Maoists decided to give up arms and return to the mainstream as they realised that they had been inducted into the banned outfit after being misled by the higher ups in the cadre, he said. They felt that the rebels had deviated from Maoist ideology and indulged in loot, extortion and atrocities on innocent people instead of working for the poor and oppressed, the police said. The surrendered ultras also claimed that they were often harassed, exploited, humiliated and tortured by seniors in the cadre, they added. As many as 65 Maoists have surrendered before the police in Malkangiri district in the last three months. PTI