SAMBALPUR: Naxal cadre Sunil Tirkey alias Shankar alias Sarpanch (24) surrendered before the police here today. With this, the number of surrendered Naxals reached four with three female cadres Deepti Naik, Scholestica Minz and Rashmita Naik surrendering earlier. Since November 14, 2007, 37 Naxals have been arrested. SP Sanjay Kumar said police are on high alert to thwart any bid by some of the old cadres to regroup.
Presenting Sunil before the media who surrendered with a country-made rifle, Kumar said Sunil was lured into Naxal fold in January 2006 by Damdeo, Benu Majhi and Ganesh Mirdha and since then he had been an active member of the outfit. He was involved in many criminal activities, circulation of leaflets, holding meetings besides blowing up of a farmhouse at Sitlenpali and an encounter with police team at Badmal. A resident of village Alighaty under Jujumora police limits, he was involved in the abduction of divisional forest officer and range officer of kendu leaf near Mochhudihi in March 2006.
Talking to the media Sunil said Damdeo influenced him to join the Naxal fold. He said after the arrest of Benudhar, Nirmal and Bablu he felt deceived and decided to surrender.