Maoist carrying Rs 21 lakh reward surrenders before Malkangiri SP

Malkangiri(By Abhishek Mohanty): A hardcore Maoist carrying a reward of Rs 21 lakh surrendered before the Malkangiri Superintendent of Police on Wednesday.

The surrendered cadre, identified as Sukram, handed over an SLR rifle, 12 rounds of ammunition and other Maoist-related materials. Malkangiri SP Vinod Patil said Sukram was involved in several violent incidents in Odisha as well as neighbouring Chhattisgarh.

Police said the state government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy is yielding positive outcomes, with sustained pressure from security forces and concerns over personal safety prompting Maoists to abandon armed struggle.
Officials informed that about 22 Maoists have surrendered before the Malkangiri SP in recent times, reflecting the impact of intensified anti-Maoist operations and rehabilitation measures.

As the March 31 deadline to make Maoist-affected areas insurgency-free approaches, security forces have stepped up operations in identified strongholds.