BARGARH: Two area committee members of the banned CPI (Maoist) surrendered before Bargarh police on Friday, in what was a significant achievement in the fight against left-wing (LWE) in the region.
The two - Amila Tati (35) and Raghu Padam (31) belonged to Chhattisgarh and gave themselves up in the presence of IG (northern range) Himanshu Lal and SP Prahalad Sahai Meena.
Amila had joined the outfit in 2008 as a party member in Bijapur district and was carrying a cash reward of Rs 4 lakh on her head. She was allegedly involved in 35 different cases in Bargarh including 15 cases of encounters, 10 arson and four murders besides six IED and poster activities. The 35-year-old woman was also involved in several cases in Balangir district, police said.
Raghu, who carried a cash reward of Rs 3 lakh, was recruited as a party member in 2009 in Sukma district. He was said to be involved in eight cases in Bargarh district including four exchanges of fire, one murder and three poster banner activities. He too was involved in other cases in Balangir. Both of them were active in Gandhamardhan reserve forest as area committee members (ACMs) and had been trying to expand LWE activities in Bargarh and Balangir districts.
Briefing media persons said the cades had started witnessing internal conflicts and been facing discrimination within the outfit because of their caste. “Moreover, the recent exchange of fire and intensified operations by security had them on the back foot. They voluntarily decided to surrender and join the mainstream for a better life,” he said.
He said the rebels surrendered after realising the outfit lost its ideological commitment and was indulging in meaningless violence.
Meena said the surrendered Maoist cadres will be rehabilitated as per the existing surrender and rehabilitation policy of the government.
Following their surrender, police interrogated the two and seized 15 AK-47 live ammunition, two 9mm pistols and five 9 mm ammunition, one INSAS magazine and five magazine pouches from their hideouts.
In his last meeting, Union Home Minister Shah had set a target to eradicate the LWE menace by March 2026. As part of the mission, under the guidance of the Union Home minister, the chief minister of Odisha and DGP, Bargarh police is making relentless efforts to eliminate the Naxals from the area.
“We have formed strategies and plans under the guidance of director (intelligence) and ADG (Ops) to finish the Naxal menace within the timeline set by the Union Home Minister added.