Two hardcore Maoists lay down arms in Odisha's Malkangiri district

Kanna said the recent appeal by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and DGP Abhay to the militias for surrendering and joining the mainstream of society prompted him to lay down arms.
Kanna Madi and Lake Punem with SP Rishikesh D Khilari at the district police office
Kanna Madi and Lake Punem with SP Rishikesh D Khilari at the district police office

MALKANGIRI: Two hardcore Maoists including a woman cadre surrendered before SP Rishikesh D Khilari at the district police office here on Sunday. They are Kanna Madi, an area committee member of military platoon under the Malkangiri- Koraput-Visakhapatnam Border (MKVB) division of Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) and Lake Punem, party member of military platoon under MKVB division of AOBSZC. A native of Sudhakonda village within Kalimela police limits, Kanna was carrying a reward of `4 lakh on his head. He had joined the CPI (Maoist)’s Kalimela Dalam in 2013 and was involved in 10 incidents including the murder of Tulsiram Behera of Chintalwada village and Jaga Madkami of Ramaguda in 2013, Gurumurthy Madhi of Telrai in 2015 and Soma Podiami of Santekguda in 2016.

Besides, he was also involved in an encounter with security forces in Silakota in 2013 and in carrying out an improvised explosive device (IED) blast at Bidarpakna in Papermetla in February this year. Similarly, Lake, a resident of Bhusan village in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh was carrying a reward of `2 lakh on her head. She had joined the Dakshin Bastar division of the banned CPI (Maoist) in April 2018 and was subsequently transferred to the cut-off area the same year. Lake was involved in the murder of Arju MLA KS Rao and former legislator Siveri Soma near Dungriguda mandal in Visakhapatnam district. Khilari said both of them were frustrated with the mindless killing of innocent people by Maoists.

“The recent opening of a police station in Jodamba in Swabhiman Anchal and setting up of BSF camps have demoralised the Maoists and paved way for development in the cut-off area,” he said. Lake was disillusioned with the activities of senior Maoist cadres (mostly from Andhra Pradesh). “The local tribal cadres are treated with contempt, denied promotion and used as foot soldiers. They are used during exchange of fire with security forces to facilitate the escape of senior cadres,” she said. Kanna said the recent appeal by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and DGP Abhay to the militias for surrendering and joining the mainstream of society prompted him to lay down arms.

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