In another blow to the outlawed Communist Party of India Maoist (CPI Maoist), a total of nine cadres laid down arms before the police in Boudh district of Odisha on Wednesday, May 8, informed police.
The surrender cadres were all active in the Kalahandi-Kandhamal-Boudh-Nayagarh (KKBN) division of the banned CPI Maoist who parted ways with the outlaws, citing exploitation and disagreement with the ideology.
The surrender took place in the presence of Inspector General of Police (IGP), SR, Behrampur, Jay Narayan Pankaj and other officials of the Odisha police. A total of 9 cadres, including two women Maoists, joined the mainstream by shunning the path of violence.
Those who have surrendered were fed up with the daily exploitation and discrimination faced by them in the proscribed outfit, which inspired them to lay down arms. The surrendered cadres are all reported to be residents of neighbouring Chhattisgarh State.
They will be rehabilitated under the State government surrender and rehabilitation police and will be provided with all the benefits associated with the scheme.
Nine nos. of maoists cadres including 2 female operating in KKBN division surrendered today i.e, on 08.05.2024 before the hon'ble I.G of Police,SR, Berhampur in presence of SP, Boudh and other senior officers of Boudh district at DPO Conference hall, Boudh.
— Boudh Police (@BoudhPolice) May 8, 2024
The surrender follows the laying down of arms by another hardcore Maoist and Divisional Committee (DVC) member of the outlawed outfit before the officials on May 7.
The surrendered cadre was identified as Samay Madakam, alias Punit , a DVC member of the KKBN division who laid down arms before the police on Tuesday. According to the reports, Madkam, who joined the Maoist outfit in the year 2008 has at least fifteen cases pending against him in various districts of Odisha.
Madkam was moved by the exploitation of the lower-rung cadres, especially the sexual exploitation of women cadres in the outfit, and hence decided to join the mainstream by shunning the path of violence, informed an official of the Odisha police.
He was reported to be involved in detonating Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blasts and carrying out attacks on security personnel, and he was carrying a bounty of Rs 5 lakh on his head, as announced by the state government. He joined the outfit at a tender age of 12 and subsequently rose to the rank of DVC member after donning many roles for the proscribed outfit.
It is worth mentioning here that there has been a surge in the number of surrenders by the former cadres of the outlawed outfit in the Maoist affected regions of the state and adjoining bordering regions of Chhattisgarh lately, who have parted ways with the Maoist outfit, citing severe discrimination and exploitation at the hands of the top cadres.
It is noteworthy that the security forces in recent few years have augmented their presence in the hinterlands of Odisha-Chhattisgarh bordering region leading to the weakening of Maoist’s organisational structure and network in the areas, earlier considered a safe haven for the Maoists.
