Hardcore Maoist surrenders before police in Kandhamal

Kandhamal: In a major success for Kandhamal Police ahead of the second phase 2019 polls in the parliamentary constituency tomorrow, Bharat Kanhar, a hardcore Maoist carrying cash reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head, surrendered before the SP here on Tuesday.

According to sources, Bharat Kanhar has been an active member of KKBN Division of Maoists in the district since 2018 and was involved in several cases of violence, murder and exchanges of fire with security personnel.

Surrendering before Kandhamal SP Pratik Singh, Kanhar said that he has decided to quit the path of violence as he was not satisfied with the present organisation of Maoist association.

“Maoists are entirely dependent on villagers for their survival but in turn they are only exploiting them. Wherever I went, I saw that if the villagers don’t abide by instructions from our higher-ups they were tortured. I couldn’t tolerate such cruelty and so I decided to quit," said Kanhar.

Meanwhile, the district police have also welcomed the decision of Kanhar to return to mainstream of the society and have assured to provide him assistance under the rehabilitation scheme of the Odisha government for surrendered Maoists.