As many as 180 active militant supporters and sympathisers from four villages of Odisha’s Malkangiri district surrendered before police on Saturday. These included members of Gana Natya Sangha both male and female from Dhakadpadar, Dabuguda, Taber, and Arlingpada villages. They surrendered before the police and Malkangiri administration at the BSF company operating base (COB) in Jantri.
As per officials, these surrendered villagers were involved in several exchanges of fire, cases of arson, civilian killings, hoisting of black flags instead of the national flag, burning of vehicles, boycotting MLA, and MP elections, supplying food and logistics to Maoists and passing information about the movement of security forces.
They were also involved in assaulting innocent tribals and forcing them to leave their native villages, land, household articles, and domestic animals. On the plea of the police, the villagers confessed that they were misled by the Maoists to be indulged in violence.
14 Miliants Surrender In Manipur
Earlier this month, 14 militants of the James faction of the United Tribal Liberation Army (UTLA) laid down arms before Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh in Imphal. Among those who surrendered was the chairman of the militant group Tonthang Singsit, officials said.
The function on the occasion was held under the revised scheme for surrender-cum-rehabilitation of militants in the North-East states taken up by the ministry of home affairs, they said.
The militants also surrendered two KH-33 rifles, one AK-47 rifle, one A1 rifle, one A2 rifle, three single barrel guns, one Chinese-made hand grenade, 18 gelatine sticks, and assorted ammunitions, the officials added.