BHUBANESWAR: A day after surrendering before the Odisha Police, senior Maoist leader Sukru and four other ultras laid down their arms before ADG Anti-Naxal Operations Sanjeeb Panda and other senior officers in Phulbani on Wednesday.
The five surrendered five weapons including an AK-47, one self-loading rifle, two .303 rifles, a single shot-gun and huge quantity of ammunition.
A native of Malkangiri, Sukru was a state committee member of the banned CPI (Maoist) and was carrying a cash reward of Rs 55 lakh. Police said the other four, including three women, were party members. Altogether, the five carried a total cash reward of Rs 66 lakh.
As per the state government’s rehabilitation policy, Maoists carrying a bounty of more than Rs 5 lakh are eligible for an additional Rs 10 lakh for which Sukru will receive a total financial benefit of Rs 65 lakh whereas the four party members will receive Rs 2.75 lakh each. The weapons carried a cash reward of another Rs 7 lakh.
The group was part of Kandhamal-Kalahandi-Boudh-Nayagarh (KKBN) division. They were operating in Kandhamal district. Sukru joined the outfit in 1997 and was active in Bansadhara-Ghumusar-Nagabali (BGN) and KKBN divisions since 2007, said Panda.
After the killing of central committee member Ganesh Uike in Kandhamal in December last year and due to continuous and sustained operations, the red rebels were demoralised, following which they decided to surrender and join the mainstream, he added.
With the latest surrenders, the number of cadres operating in Odisha has come down to eight to nine and their activity is limited to a few pockets in Kandhamal district only.
The anti-Naxal operations involving SOG, DVF, CRPF and BSF will be intensified in Kandhamal district, said the police.
Panda praised the efforts of IG Operations Deepak Kumar, DIG SIW Akhileshvar Singh and SP Kandhamal Harisha BC. He assured that all surrendered Maoists would get benefits under the government’s policy soon to help their reintegration into society with dignity.
So far, Nuapada, Nabarangpur. Malkangiri, Koraput, Boudh, Bolangir, Rayagada and Kalahandi districts have become completely Naxal-free.
Panda said, Odisha Police is committed to make the state Naxal free by March 31.