Malkangiri: About 61 Maoist supporters including 12 militia members and 27 women surrendered before Malkangiri police today.
Police said one village committee member and 34 men are also in the group who belong to Gumukaguda, Intaguda and Eerelguda villages of Chitragapalli gram panchayat under Kalimela police station of the district.
Yesterday, in a major jolt to the outlawed CPI (Maoist), 129 Maoist supporters including 35 women, 18 militia members and six village committee members of Terubai village under Podia police limits surrendered before SP Mitrabhanu Mahapatra and 202 CoBRA Battalion Deputy Commandant Anand Panwar.
“We have suffered a lot at the hands of the Maoists who always exploited and tortured us despite our logistic support. We want to live a normal life,” they said while surrendering and added that they want the benefits of the Government welfare schemes to reach the village.
The militia members stated that they were disillusioned by the Maoist ideology and the mindless violence.