ROURKELA: A hardcore Maoist, identified as Dharamjeet Singh (42), who has an expertise in planting landmines and was hiding for the last six years, surrendered before Rourkela police on Friday.
Informing this to mediapersons, Bonai Additional SP PK Jena said Singh of Karda village under Chandiposh police limits in the district was inducted into the Maoist outfit in 2008 by slain area commander of Saranda Sub-Divisional Committee Sameer Xalxo.
Xalxo had trained him in handling various firearms and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and he became an expert in planting landmines. Between 2008 and 2010, he was involved in several Maoist incidents in the sub-division, including blasting of the Banki forest beat house, killing of three villagers at Topadihi and loot of `49 lakh from cash van of SBI at Tinkoghati.
Singh had also worked under the Maoist group, led by Anmol Hembram, and was active along Odisha-Jharkhand border. During 2011, he had secretly quit the outfit and fled to Punjab in search of greener pastures. He recently returned to his village and was motivated to give up arms. Police said he was recently tracked and convinced by local police and CRPF personnel to quit the outfit.
He was disillusioned with the Maoist ideology, killing and exploitation of innocent tribal villagers.
Chhattisgarh cops pick up three tribals
Jeypore:Chhattisgarh police have allegedly picked up three tribals of Mundaguda village under Kotpad police limits suspecting them to be Maoists, without informing Odisha police. The family members of the tribals have lodged an FIR in Kotpad police station.
According to reports, a group of armed policemen reached Mundaguda village on June 25 night and took away the three tribals - Gurubandhu Durua, Kulu Durua and Manmath Durua - stating that they are Maoists. Although the local villagers protested, they failed to stop the cops. With no information on the whereabouts of the tribals till Thursday, their families lodged FIR against Chhattisgarh police on Thursday. Kotpad police said that they have no information about the three tribals, but inquiry is on.