Odishatv Bureau
Berhampur: Serious factionalism among Maoists has came to the fore with a rebel CPI(Maoist) rebel venting his anger against Telugu and Chhattisgarh cadres.

"Telugu and Chhatisgarh Maoists torture Odia cadres. They give poor food, torn uniforms and damaged shoes to Odia cadres," said Nikhil, spokesman of Vansadhara Division Committee (VDC) of CPI (Maoist) in letters to the local media. He alleged that Telugu and Chhattisgarh cadres had killed an Odia Maoist called Rabi about two months ago in the forest near Kerubadi in Kandhamal district when he opposed the discrimination.

Tribals living in forests were disturbed by the Telugu and Chhatisgarh cadres, Nikhil alleged in the letter. He appealed to the tribals not to provide shelter or food to Maoists from Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh when they visit the villages. Maoists who were arrested by the police or had surrendered had also narrated the plight of the Odia cadres in the rebel camps with the influx of those from Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. It was one of the reasons why Odia women cadres decided to leave the Maoist organisation and surrendered before the police, several of them told the police.

Intelligence agencies have confirmed the presence of Telugu and Chhattisgarh cadres in Maoists camps in Kandhamal, Gajapati, Ganjam and Rayagada districts, police said. When asked a senior police officer said "We had received information about division among Maoists on Odia and non-Odia line from various sources - mostly rebels and militia members of the left wing ultras, who had surrendered or were arrested recently. The letter has corroborated it."

scrollToTop