BERHAMPUR/PHULBANI: A hardcore Maoist, Bija Madvi alias Tikes of KKBN Division (Rahul Area Committee) surrendered before DIG (Southern Range) Sarthak Sarangi and Kandhamal SP Harish B at Phulbani on Thursday.
A native of Mangalguda village in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh, Tikes surrendered with a pistol and two rounds of ammunition. He was inducted into the CPI (Maoist), Darba division in October, 2018 and worked in Paschim Bastar, Maad and Uttar Bastar division of Chhattisgarh before shifting to Odisha where he became a member of Nuapada and KKBN division, said Sarangi. He was involved in several exchanges of fire with security personnel in Kandhamal and Boudh districts and had over 10 cases pending against him.
Sarangi said Tikes was disillusioned with the senior leaders of the banned outfit who subject their subordinate cadres to mental and physical harassment. Several female cadres were sexually exploited by the seniors.
This apart, increase in anti-Maoist operations in interior areas of Kandhamal and multiple exchanges of fire in Boudh and Kandhamal created fear of police action and led to Tikes’ surrender, the DIG said.
The surrender and rehabilitation policy of Odisha coupled with the development initiatives undertaken in Naxal-hit areas influenced Tikes to give up the path of violence and join the mainstream of society.
Further, he did not approve of Maoists collecting money from cannabis traffickers to fund their activities.
Sarangi said Tikes shall be rehabilitated as per the existing policy of the state government for surrendered Maoists. Basing on information provided by Tikes, Kandhamal police unearthed a Maoist dump in Baliguda. Several items including six gelatin sticks, one radio, two electric detonators, one solar plate, a bundle of steel wire, a bundle of electric wire, one haversack, two large jerry cans, two small jerry cans, grocery items and clothes were recovered from the dump.