Unable to cope with the alleged sexual exploitation by their leaders, two women Maoist cadres surrendered before SP Akhileswar Singh here on Sunday, a day before the beginning of the week long People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) celebration.
The surrendered Maoists are Geeta Kunjami alias Yamuna (25) of Bodigetta village under Kalimela police limits and Saita Pangi (22) of Rawa village under Chitrakonda police limits, said DSP Promod Kumar Bagh at a media conference here on Sunday.
Bagh said an area committee member of Maoists, Kalimela Dalam, Geeta had joined the outfit in 2007. She was reportedly carrying a 303 rifle while in the banned outfit and was involved in a series of criminal cases like exchange of fire at Gompakunda, Jakalgundi, Poplur, Ramaguda and Dukhilenka. Saita Pangi was a member of the local unit of Jana Natya Mandali, a cultural troupe of the Maoists, and was providing logistic support by motivating the villagers through cultural programmes.
The two women confessed that they had surrendered as they no more wanted to lead a violent life with the Maoists. Exploitation of women cadres by Maoist leaders was also a reason for their surrender. Geeta claimed that they were often harassed, exploited, humiliated and tortured by the senior cadres.
Exploitation of women cadres had increased in the Odisha wings of Maoists with the recent inflow of Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh cadres into the organisation, they added.